River of Tears I: Growth
by Wynth
Summary: Konoha demands Soul Society to train a few of their ninja after they were nearly destroyed by hollows. The pros? Konoha can be defended against future attacks by said beasts. The cons? Future events change drastically. •Multi-pair / AU / BLExNAR / 1:3•
1. Where I Can Breathe

_EDITED - 18/10/2010  


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_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Naruto or Bleach_

_Just taking a chunk out of my AN, in fact all of it as it was pretty much unneeded. One thing to say: please vote in my poll. :) Thank you._

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FLUMEN OF LACRIMA  
—**CHAPTER ONE—**  
_Where I Can Breathe

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"Move!"

They swerved through the debris.

"Faster!"

They jumped over a fallen citizen of Konoha.

Five tired humans treaded loudly on the dirt as they sprinted down the alley way before making a sharp left. One skidded at the corner before collapsing to the earth, their skin ripping and blood dribbling from a newly made cut on their leg as they wailed.

The other four stopped, looking back, breathing heavily. "Go! Go!" The pinkette shouted at the others, waving at them to move on. The two children clutching to the other teenager sobbed loudly, protesting, before gripping the brunette's wrist even tighter. "Go, Tenten!"

The brunette weakly nodded, sweat outlining her eye and cheek as she watched her friend head back to nurse the fallen child at the corner. Hardly a second passed before she was off again, leaving behind her companion and hopefully the madness that was spreading to the rest of the village from behind.

They came quickly and suddenly. And on top of their haste appearance, it seemed as though not everyone could see them. How could they not? They—they were—

A tug on her arm brought Tenten back to reality, along with a sudden and loud crash nearby that caused the entire earth to shudder. She halted instantly, pushing chakra into her feet to keep firmly in place as she allowed the other two survivors to cling to her for safety.

The tremor quickly subsided.

"Come on," Tenten whispered through dry lips, brown eyes narrowing in concern as she looked down at their mud caked faces. "Let's go."

The female child, who had blonde-turned-brown hair, wet dirt sticking to her locks, burst into tears, stomping her feet and shaking Tenten's wrist. "What about Sakuwa?" she screamed, pellets streaming down her cheeks; the trail became defined against her dirty skin. She let out a piercing shriek as the other child, a boy, whacked her across the head while water leaked from his own eyes. "Stop! Stop!" The girl protested, holding up an arm.

"We have to huwwy!" he berated.

"Stop," Tenten whispered hoarsely, craning her neck to the male child. He stopped instantly, widening his blue eyes at her. The liquid in them shimmered as he prepared to let another onslaught of tears go. "Hush. Hush." The brunette ninja felt her heart clench as she squatted down and pressed a calloused finger to his lips, quickly stopping the sadness. "You need to be brave okay? Be brave, Ryoichi. You'll need to help protect everyone else as well when we get there, okay?"

The boy nodded slowly, wiping at his eyes with his palms. "I'm sowwy, 'Dowi," he muttered.

Midori's tears didn't stop flowing as she yelled out that she wanted Sakura again, her small hands in fists as she whacked at Tenten's shoulder viciously; she clearly didn't hear him.

"Stop!" Ryoichi grabbed both of the blonde's chubby hands and fought against her strength as she shook her head from side to side, her tears not ceasing. "Stop, 'Dowi! I'm here, 'k?"

Tenten tried not to smile as he attempted to do just what she had asked him to do. She knew that it would inspire him in the future. "Midori," she whispered, pressing her hand against the child's back. "Midori, shh. Sakura will be fine. She'll find us." The girl stiffly halted her movements and blinked rapidly, ridding the tears that were caught in her lashes.

"Weally?" she asked, peering up at the brunette ninja through her blonde bangs and lidded eyes.

The weapons mistress nodded slowly, Ryoichi following her movements before letting go of the girls fists and wrapping an arm around her tiny shoulders and patting her. She seemed to blush but it was hard to tell under all the mud sticking to her skin.

"Now, we need to go find the others as well," Tenten told, straightening. She looked down the alley, both directions, but lingered on the way from behind, hoping that she'd see Sakura with the other boy come through the clouding dust. "Come on." She grabbed both of the children's grubby hands and pulled forward, hinting that it was time to move. "Let's go."

* * *

"Hokage!" a voice yelled from outside the door, followed by some loud knocking that made the wood groan. That was all the warning the elderly women got before it suddenly burst open, the door hitting the wall on the other side with a resonating bang. A Chuunin stumbled in, hair in disarray and his chest heaving as he panted.

"This better be good," Tsunade stated, her honey eyes tracing over the battle plans to oppose the current attack on her village. "And it better be worth my door!"

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune shouted indignantly.

The Hokage paid no mind as she lifted her gaze from her table and onto the dishevelled ninja in front of her. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she felt the floor beneath her quiver ever so slightly; her fingers tightened beneath her palms. "What is it?"

The loud chatter from the group of strategists scattered throughout the room adjacent to the library faded to a hush banter as few of them listened in.

"They're coming in from the west too!"

The words barely left the Chuunin's lips before Tsunade slammed her palms on the table, causing everything on it to shake and topple over. Ink flooded the top and splayed across the floor, followed by an array of papers. The blonde woman didn't say a word, just turned and left the room swiftly, her heels clicking on the tiles; Shizune followed silently behind her. In her wake, the strategists resumed plotting.

* * *

Tsunade stalked angrily through the barren streets.

Many of the survivors sought refuge in the Hokage Mountain, believing it to be the most secure place. That was three days ago, when the attacks began. Only a quarter of Konoha made it to the tunnels there before several of the entrances collapsed after a vicious fissure. Now they were stuck there and no one else could help them until it was all over.

Some had vacated to the forests around Konoha, and many had headed straight to the Forest of Death, hoping that the creatures in there would dispose of the invaders. She didn't know how well that went but at the moment, most of her villagers were scattered in all directions, while the village itself was being torn apart.

Much of the south wall and buildings were demolished—done on the first day of the attack—and until now, that was the only direction they'd come in; they had often left but they always returned.

It pissed her off.

It was difficult to summon ninja as well and she had wondered how many were still around, fighting. She also wondered how many citizens were still within Konoha, just hiding.

She growled as she punched through a wall, rock and rubble blooming away from the point of impact as dust fogged her vision. Stepping over the collapsed wall, she walked on, hands in fists with nails burying into the skin.

It was going to be hell to clean up.

_If_ there was even anything left to rebuild.

* * *

Sakura sneezed as she ran through the dusty cloud surrounding all sides of her. She had almost dropped the injured boy but she gripped him around the shoulders and knees even tighter, just as he curled his dirty fingers into her pink clothing. His wound was deep, and she had neither the tools nor energy to heal it. It was just bad luck that he had landed on a shard of glass, and if had she known how bad it was, she wouldn't have told Tenten to go on. She was lost and tired but she refused to give in.

The ground shook and she pressed herself against the wall of the alley, tucking her head into the child's chest as more dust fell from above.

Swallowing and licking her lips, she pushed herself off the wall as soon as it was safe and jogged down the alley, glad to finally see another corner with a sheen of light hitting the ground.

Her blood froze suddenly, and Sakura stopped instantly, her heartbeat quickening as she saw the light disappear. Releasing a sharp breath, she pressed herself against the wall again, this time on the side that the alley turned.

Moistening her throat again, she lowered herself to the ground, careful not to nudge the boys bleeding leg; she had tried to slow it before but the bandages—that were from her clothes—were now soaked red. She inhaled and exhaled continuously as she watched and waited for the shadow to disappear but all she got was a loud purr in return and the air lodged in her throat in result.

The child moved, opening auburn eyes. His small lips parted to make a sound but Sakura pressed a slender finger to her lips.

_Quiet. _

Fear flashed in his orbs as he bit his lip and stuffed his head back into her shoulder, almost nudging her arm away from her chest so that he could nestle into her armpit.

She breathed out slowly and shakily as she began to move back the way she had come; she preferred to go the long way around, if she could, than to meet this invader. Her feet glided across the dirt quietly as she inched further and further away. She was almost unable to see the corner through the dusty air as she took another step back.

A hand suddenly clamped around her mouth and she squealed, her noise muffled as she whacked at the offending arm.

"Shh, shh," a voice whispered in her ear. "Relax." She didn't. "Sakura, it's me."

Just the fact that this person knew her name was enough, and this time she melted; her spine, that was straight for the last half an hour, finally bent as she collapsed into the arms of the male behind her. She was so tempted to close her eyes and fall asleep but she didn't, she was too tired to do that.

Her head propped against his shoulder, she groggily gazed up but saw nothing but a nose poking out over a high collar and black sunglasses.

_Shino._

His hand left her mouth and he slid his arms around her waist, lifting her up into a sitting position with her back to his chest; he did so carefully as not to disturb the apparently unconscious boy in her lap. His eyes narrowed.

Sakura sighed in relief and content. "Thank, Kami."

"Sakura. I won't be able to carry you and the boy," the Aburame whispered back, his breath hitting the shell of her ear.

She was instantly alert, her sight dropping to the boy. With her limited knowledge of medical jutsu she checked his vital signs before relaxing slightly; he was alive but…

"He passed out." She groaned softly as she attempted to lift him up, only for the muscles in her arms to give out and cause the child to tip. Shino caught him quickly, manoeuvring him so that he was holding the young boy bridal style. "Blood loss. His leg has glass in it," she hurriedly explained, realising that they were indeed still in danger.

The Aburame nodded. "Kiba is not too far. I fear I may also bring danger to us."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked she hoisted herself up, using Shino's side as help.

"I do not have time to explain. Soon the—" He was cut off as the alley way wall was suddenly blown apart, rock thrown everywhere and dust clouding the already thick air.

Sakura coughed loudly, her ears ringing as she grabbed Shino's elbow. "Lead the way!" she screamed, feeling the earth beneath her quiver once again.

They were off, streaming down the narrow way with an invader following closely behind, its movement causing the entire ground to shake uncontrollably as its pace quickened. It was beginning to get difficult for her to remain balanced, especially since she was already exhausted.

"Kiba is not far! Make it to him and he'll carry you the rest of the way!" Shino shouted back, his pace hastening; Sakura tried to keep up.

_Easier said then done!_ she wanted to scream but found that she didn't even have the energy to talk anymore. Her legs felt like jelly as the two jumped onto a stand then onto a roof. Her thighs ached with pain as she landed on the solid roof and she teetered as the invader moved faster in from behind.

Puffing loudly, her mind began to sway and her thoughts shifting indiscernibly.

_I'm running purely on fear and hope_, she noted barely, eyelids drooping. Her vision blurred as Shino jumped across to another roof.

The Aburame paused and looked over his shoulder, eyebrows pointed inwards as he analysed her condition. She couldn't make the jump on the little energy she had left; she barely had any to even run. Plans flittered through his mind. What to do?

Gritting his teeth, he placed the boy as gently as he could onto the roof and leapt over to Sakura again, his heartbeat increasing as the black invader zeroed in on them. Grabbing her securely by the waist, Shino flipped forward, narrowly dodging the landing of a heavy punch. The roof shattered to pieces and he lost his footing as it trembled. He skidded on his back for a few seconds, his skin tearing and burning—he let out a groan of pain—before he slammed a foot down onto the rubble and propelled himself ahead, onto another roof. He landed heavily, quickly kneeling to keep a secure crouch.

Sakura was limp in his arms, unconscious. He was never one to swear but, "shit."

The beast turned to him, revealing a white masked face. It tilted its head to the side before springing forward, its massive bulk shadowing Shino and Sakura from above.

The Aburame widened his eyes, wondering what the hell to do in those brief seconds, before pressing Sakura into his chest and lurching to another roof. The beast still shadowed him and he wished over and over again that he'd reach sunlight and escape the bellyflop-like attack. He glanced above him, panting, and then looked forward again, just in time to see a gleam of light flash passed him.

* * *

Her chest burned as she pushed her legs to maximum speed, even then she still couldn't match Neji Hyuuga's pace. This normally would have angered her but there was no time to feel any of the sort, partially because she knew the prodigy kicked butt—hence why he was a prodigy—but more so because the black beasts had torn down the west wall not too long ago and the two of them were on the move.

What annoyed Ino the most was… they were running towards the beasts. Albeit, she understood why perfectly; in fact, it was her idea.

Why?

Because there were kids there—where the orphanage was—and the adults working the place only had enough time to save a few. The rest were up to the ninja.

There was no point in hiding either, as the invaders had known they were there, having found them ten minutes ago.

She jumped over a corpse impaled by a stake and pushed her legs to go faster. The only warning she got before she was suddenly bulldozed to the side and into a pile of broken wood, was Neji looking over his shoulder, his Byakugan activated.

Dust rained down around her and she attempted to hoist herself onto her elbows. The skin on her back stung horribly as she stretched, so she relaxed instantly. The warm sensation of her shirt sticking to her skin made her aware that her back was most likely now adorning an assortment of scratches, thanks to the wood, and blood, again, thanks to the wood.

Blinking her blue eyes, she took note of the weight on top of her and then focused her vision on the person hovering over her. The lavender tinted orbs hinted that it was Neji, as well as the chocolate brown hair falling from his ponytail and framing his face. "Are you okay?" he whispered, his puffs of air swishing the locks around his chin.

Ino stiffly nodded.

"There's a hole behind you. Crawl through it." He gestured to the opening with his eyes. "Hurry. We're covered in wood but they'll find us soon."

That was all she needed to hear before she sprung into motion. She twisted onto her stomach and slammed against the edges with the palm of her hand. The wood broke away and she slid herself forward.

"Your back. We'll fix that later," Neji said from behind. Now that he wasn't lying on top of her, Ino found she was able to breathe properly.

The hole was now bigger and Ino slid through it easily enough with her lithe frame. She tilted her head from side to side as she surveyed the room swiftly.

A room, which meant they were in a house. Not good. It could collapse any second.

Neji's hand appeared through the opening and in her panic, Ino grabbed it and pulled, causing him to slide on the wooden floor and hit her legs. He didn't say a word as he stood up. "Let's go."

They scampered upstairs and quickly found a window; they smashed it. They slipped through just as the house was flattened by a beast. Ino squealed, having the claw of the invader just miss her feet. Neji pulled her to a stand before he zipped off, the blonde female following, although wincing.

Now on the rooves, the two moved swiftly, jumping over alleys and, in the mean time, attempting to put as much distance between them and one of the invaders behind. "Where's the Hokage when you need her?" Ino yelled, even though her lungs and back were on fire.

The two jumped down from the roof and onto the main walkway, just as a pair of heeled feet stood walked forward beside them. Blinking, Ino looked up, seeing the very person she was wishing for.

"I believe there's your answer, Yamanaka," Neji replied dryly.

Ino glared.

Tsunade's honey-coloured eyes were not on them but rather on the black beasts that had quickly noticed her; they moved in. "You kids better get outta here before the _real_ danger comes."

Neji nodded. "Yamanaka. Let's go," he said, gesturing to the path in front of them that was also a turn off from the main road. She didn't feel like running though. Her legs were screaming 'no more', as did her lungs and back. She almost decided to reply with a negative as she swallowed but found herself picturing those orphans cowering underneath rubble.

Ino narrowed her eyes and nodded, sprinting along behind him as they left the Hokage behind.

Besides, she looked pissed; only idiots would want to be around for that.


	2. Solace

_EDITED - 20/10/2010  


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**—CHAPTER TWO—**  
_Solace_

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Shino blinked dubiously as the beast let out a shrilling howl and disappeared into a sudden cloud of dust. He blinked again. That sort of thing of combusting was something that only happened in the silliest children fairy tales, such as 'The Playful Criminal', but yet he had witnessed it.

He watched with caution as the stretched blade by his ear, the smooth side of it almost brushing against his ear, began to retract. He paused, fingers enclosed tightly over Sakura's small shoulder as he tried to figure out what the hell happened.

Light footsteps behind him caused the bugs within him to stir. He peered over his shoulder a little, brown eyes watching sandaled feet move closer to him. His eyes narrowed. Swiftly Shino jumped back, turning his body to face this... newcomer who could apparently destroy these beasts so simply. The very thought was disturbing.

He scanned over this man who seemed to tower over him. On his face was a very taunting smile, accompanied by the upturned eyes which were framed by short silver hair. This person meant bad business.

Shino shifted slightly and Sakura stirred in his arms but did not waken. He was ready to fight if necessary, or at least escape, but…

"Heya!"

The Aburame almost dropped the pinkette at the cheery introduction.

This man… he couldn't feel anything from him; anything strong to be precise. He could sense something within him but otherwise, besides the katana at his side and the strange clothes, he could almost pass as a normal citizen. But he was not. He managed to destroy the black beast with a single attack while Konoha ninja had spent three days trying to destroy them with no result.

Swallowing, Shino responded. "Who are you and what business do you have in Konoha?"

"Konoha, huh?" He scratched his cheek, acting thoughtful. "So that's the name of this place. Who I am doesn't matter right at the moment but as for why we're here…" he spread his arms and chuckled, "…well, look around; we're here to clean up."

* * *

Tsunade sucked in her stomach as she stepped back to dodge a blow from the side. The black fist narrowly missed, scraping her fluttering clothing before punching the side of a building; it crumbled just like everything else in Konoha.

Holding her breath, she jumped onto the arm and sprinted towards the head, retracting a hand and gathering chakra at her knuckles. Eyes narrowing so that her eyes were almost hidden, she cried out as she swung through, her fist making contact with the white mask; it was just common knowledge that this was the place to hit.

The clay cracked, a resonating scream following seconds after as the beast grabbed it's head; Tsunade flipped off just in time to avoid getting harmed. It squirmed and moved from side to side, squealing. The mask had cracked a little bit but did not break.

Hope stirred in her chest as Tsunade left her fingers curled into her palm. Hopefully this beast was at its end. Hopefully. Just hopefully.

And just as quickly as this hope spread, it was instantly doused as the invader screamed one last time before changing it to a guttural snarl, tilting its head towards the Hokage. "How dare you!"

She knew they talked. She knew that before, when Ino and Neji had fled. Their taunts, however, while threatening because she was not able to harm them entirely, did not deter her from the imminent fight.

"Shut up," she hissed, biting her bottom lip. _Is this really the end of Konoha?_

As if Kami heard her question, the beast shrilled once again and Tsunade looked up, shocked. Before she could utter a word, it dissolved into the air, leaving behind an empty street. Startled, the Hokage whirled around, eyes wide.

"Where did… the rest go?" she muttered to herself. There were no more in sight; this thought gnawed at her. Was that just the first wave? Did they have a time limit or something? Was there someone else around?

Her last question was answered once again when she felt an overwhelming presence behind her. Clenching a fist, she pivoted, thrusting her hand at the figure, only to make contact with the building now in front of her. Honey eyes widened again as the rock crumbled around her hand.

"Impressive strength. If you were at top condition, I'm certain you would have hit me."

Gritting her teeth, Tsunade veered her head to the left, honey eyes taking in the appearance of this new person. She hadn't seen anything to be certain but she had a feeling that he had something to do with those beasts.

Short brown hair swept over brown eyes peering through black rimmed glasses. He held himself lightly, as though, when he walked, he floated across the floor. His lips were upturned into a gentle smile, with both curiosity and amusement embedded in it. His body was garbed in robes of white over black, along with sandaled feet.

She huffed. A perk of being a ninja was that she quickly learned to never trust first meetings with a complete stranger, much less a stranger that could quite possibly destroy something she could not. Therefore, her depiction of this supposed aristocratic man? Don't trust him.

She didn't intend to.

* * *

Reports from all over Konoha swarmed to her as soon as Tsunade stepped into her office. Wide eyed with both panic and relief, many ninja tried to explain all at once that the invaders were decreasing drastically and that there were also several sightings of people wearing an attire that was akin to a kimono. She was relieved to know that she wasn't the only one to encounter one of these new strangers but this relief was overwhelmed with the knowledge that they could harm what ninja could not.

She couldn't let it go. It was her duty, as the Hokage of Konoha, to be aware and suspicious of such power.

"That's enough," she stated loudly and instantly the ninja before her, crowding, wide-eyed, went silent. "Are there any reports of these new invaders actually harming one of our own?" Tsunade had a feeling she knew what the answer was as she asked her question but she wanted to be certain. The man she had met minutes ago did not harm her, merely helped her… but still.

The ninja all shook their heads simultaneously and waited in silence for their leader to reply.

Tsunade felt the tension in her muscles leave her as she relaxed her shoulders. Konoha was alive still, and that knowledge was more than enough to push her on. "Fan out through the village, find every ninja you can, and tell them to search every nook and cranny. There are civilians out there who could be dying; leave the dead." She stormed to her temporary desk, waving off a glass of water as it was presented to her; everybody followed her with their eyes, listening to her orders. "They will get a proper burial after this nightmare as ended." She sat down, lacing her fingers. "What are you waiting for? Go!"

Every ninja the rank of Chuunin and above disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving the library in a haze. Shizune approached the Hokage, Tonton held in her grip carefully, with a look of some type of relief in her eyes. "Lady Tsunade; the civilians trapped in the Hokage Mountain."

Tsunade rose, gesturing for her assistant to follow. "Heading there now. Let's hope they're alive." Her cloak billowed as she sharply turned the corner at the door, disappearing from view.

* * *

"Hush. Hush. It's okay. We're here," Ino soothed the bawling child, her thin fingers trailing over the infant's cheeks softly, wiping away the free-falling tears. The crying did not cease and she felt her heart go out to the orphan, along with ten others that were now crowding around both her and Neji. He was sitting beside her, at least four of the children clinging to him for dear life, their faces stained by dust and tears with fear etched into their eyes and lips. In a comforting manner, Ino had noticed that he held them close to his body, as though he was promising solid refuge. She could see his lips move as he spoke to them but she could not hear what he was saying; the loud cries of the orphans filled the room instead.

Sighing, Ino pressed the baby to her bosom, hugging him and relishing in the maternal feeling that swam in her belly as the child raised its stubby arms and attempted to wrap them around her neck; instead he gripped her shirt tightly. Another girl, at least three years old, had her arms wrapped around Ino's waist and was lying on the floor, her head buried in the blonde's lap as she bawled her eyes out too.

It was almost overwhelming; in fact, it was. How were they supposed to transport ten orphans back to safety? Then again, the beasts seemed to have no longer pursued them, which was a warming thought until Neji insisted that they'd eventually be found.

Ino scoped the small dusty room. The remaining four orphans were the oldest and had no doubt been the reason for several of the younger ones survival. But then the blonde's heart clenched as she counted the heads once more, save for herself and Neji's.

"Is this it?" she asked, her question directed to the eldest kids at the back; at least eight years old. "Are these all the children?"

One of them, a male with rusty red short hair, nodded curtly, and Ino watched him carefully. His expression, although somewhat calm, held sadness.

"Were there more beforehand?" She stroked the girl's back at her side, her fingers creating a pattern of swirls. She feared the answer.

And instantly her chest clenched once more as the boy nodded ruefully. The female beside him—shoulder length black hair with a smattering of freckles across her cheeks and nose—piped up quickly, placing her hand quickly on the boy's shoulder. "A number were still saved by some of the adults and a few also tried running away by themselves." Ino bowed her head, pressing her lips to the infant's forehead at her chest; those kids were most likely killed. "Others were—" the female orphan stopped, her jugular expanding as she swallowed, "—stubborn about leaving… so they stayed behind."

Ino closed her eyes, feeling water collect at her tear ducts and tickle her lashes. Neji and she had passed the main orphanage building not long ago, only to find it demolished with hardly any signs of survival from the orphans. Luckily, Neji had spotted tracks leading away, and after following them, came across this group of ten. At least they had found some that were alive and Ino was determined to keep it that way.

Sniffing, Ino raised her head, giving a gesture of affirmation to the female to let her know she understood before turning to Neji. He spoke for her. "Time to go. Can all of you walk?" He got a collection of nods and the children rose to a stand. The four around Neji remained glued to his side, their hands hooked onto either his pants or his baggy shirt; one was clutching his hair, whom he quickly grabbed and swung onto his shoulders. "Let's go."

They left quickly, sticking to the back alleys and hiding in the shadows, even though there was a chance of them being seen. Neji felt anxious at the lack of opposition, having used his Byakugan to scope around them only to see nothing life threatening. Ino followed close behind him quietly, keeping the younger children between the two of them and often casting a glance over her shoulder at the elder ones; the babe was still pressed tightly to her chest, its cloth loosening as she ran. Her heart pounded against her chest, her eyes watching Neji carefully.

He stopped suddenly, causing a small pile up against the back of his legs. Ino's breath escaped her as he quickly dropped the child around his shoulders to the ground and took a step forward, his eyes squinting further into the dust clouded alley. "Neji?" the blonde prompted quietly, raising a finger to her pink lips at the eight years old behind her, then to the younger ones at her waist.

The Hyuuga levelled a hand to his side at his waist, telling her to not move or make any sudden sounds. He spoke softly. "There is something coming." The children clung to both ninja instantly, their faces filled with fear; Ino tried to ignore a few of them wiping their faces against her skirt.

Seconds passed, and barely a few more afterwards a black figure materialized before the group, their face smothered in the shadows of the high stone walls around them. Neji struck instantly. Flattening his hand and shifting into position, he shot his palm forward at the intruder.

Ino closed her eyes, looking away and emitting a quiet gasp as Neji attacked in those quick five seconds. A sharp _twang_ echoed down the narrow way and she flinched, feeling a dome of air suddenly billow passed, tossing and playing with her long hair.

Silence.

She raised her head, blue eyes scanning the situation. The first thing she took in was blood dripping to the ground, and she realised soon enough that it was seeping from Neji's palm. His hand was pressed against metal, the two attacks quivering with equal strength as they pressed against each other. His feet shifted slightly against the dirt, ready to strike again if needed.

"I mean no harm. We are here to help."

Ino's eye perked up at the deep and somewhat nasally voice, her eyes catching sight of shoulder length blond hair and side bang that was cast dimly in the dull light from above.

Neji didn't relent. "How can we trust you?" he hissed, shifting position again.

"If I were truly an enemy, I would have picked off one of the younger ones at the back." The man gestured to the eight year old behind Ino with a toss of his head; Ino instantly gathered those children closer to her, as if to say 'I'd like to see you try'.

The Hyuuga pondered, his eyes proving that he was sifting through questions and thoughts. His palm pained him but only mildly. His opponent was clearly skilled with the blade and managed to both defend himself and reduce the amount of harm that could have cold have happened to Neji by blocking with the flat of his blade. The cut on his skin was from briefly touching the sides as the two attacks met.

"We?" Neji pondered.

The intruder let up, pulling his katana back from Neji who had cautiously repeated the same thing; he was still on his guard however. "My name is Izuru Kira and I am the Lieutenant of the 3rd Squad. My Captain is here also, along with another squad: Squad 5. We are here to assist your village in the current siege of hollows."

His words were followed by a piercing shrill from a young girl who pointed viciously at him and tugged harshly on Ino's skirt, tears trailing down her chubby cheeks. She stamped her feet before screaming again, resorting to punch the Yamanaka heiress' thighs.

Ino squatted down, hand on the girls back while her other arm awkwardly held the infant. "Hush. Hush."

"Akane, quiet," one of the eight year olds commanded at the back, crossing his arms and looming over the little girl like a tower.

She didn't listen before screaming again, banging the side's of Ino's head. "Why aren' 'oo 'cared? Death is 'ere!" She twisted her body around on the spot, her small sundress swinging at her knees from side to side.

"No, no," Ino attempted to comfort again, ignoring the other eyes on her. She stroked the child's blonde hair softly. "Death is not here. You're safe, A—"

"—no!" Akane tore herself from Ino's body and pointed accusingly at the Izuru again. "'e's right der! Momma said he comes in back!" The blonde ninja could only assume that the kid meant to say 'black' instead but was unable to complete the word—and the rest of her sentences at that—properly through her tears.

Ino narrowed her eyes slightly, casting a weary glance at Neji who remained on his guard. "He's not going to hurt you. He is not Death."

"On the contrary," Kira broke in, sliding his blade back into its sheath and stepping into the light; his blue eyes gazed down at the dirty Yamanaka. "I am."

* * *

"You!" Tsunade thrust a finger into the air, directing it at the familiar brunette aristocratic man. Her lips thinned until they were almost white and her brows knitted inwards, her fingers curled tightly into her palm.

He turned to her, a gentle smile on his face, before he gave a short wave. "We meet again."

Shizune gaped beside the voluptuous blonde but then frowned like her Lady; Tsunade had clearly met this man before.

The Hokage stamped a foot down, a miniature crater forming at her soles in a cloud of dust. "Don't give me that!" she huffed, honey eyes hovering over half the citizens of Konoha who were now out of the Hokage Mountain, relishing in fresh air and sunlight. Their content faces shone with smiles and several passed the aristocratic man, bowing their head in thanks before moving on.

"Your citizens are now safe," the brunette stranger said, approaching Tsunade coolly as though confident she was not a threat.

"I assume I have you to thank for that?" she grunted, knowing the answer anyway. His relaxed posture was irritating her. She was a Sannin for Kami's sake, show a little respect! Then again… "You're not from around here are you?" Her question was out before he could answer the previous rhetorical one.

Closing his mouth, the seemingly gentle male nodded. "What gave me away?"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him. "It does not matter. Why are you here?"

"Am I being interrogated?" he asked coolly, tilting his curiously to the side.

"Do you see any bars or chains around here?"

He chuckled. "A sense of humour I see."

"Don't kiss up to me," Tsunade snapped, crossing her arms.

"I assure you, I was not." He gave a half bow in admission of guilt nonetheless. "My apologies."

His attitude didn't soothe her at all but she relaxed her shoulder anyway, keeping her eyes trained on his tall figure. "Who are you?" she demanded after a short time, revelling in the short wind that passed by and brought with it a cool sensation.

"My name is Sōsuke Aizen."

The Hokage raised a delicate eyebrow, expecting a little more than that. His name, while valuable to an extent, didn't explain much of anything else. Speaking of which, it resembled a certain traitor who had betrayed the village not even a month back.

"You seem… annoyed about my lack of response," he remarked after a moment's silence. She saw his brown eyes look over his shoulder and regard Shizune.

Tsunade visibly released tension in her muscles completely, figuring that hostility would get her no where. "I am the Hokage of Konoha, this village; that is all you need to know." He nodded in affirmation. "I'd appreciate it if I got some much needed answers now. You seem to have them."

"Yes." His eerie gentle smile slid onto his face again. "There is much to explain."


	3. The Council

FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM  
**~3~**  
"The Council"

* * *

"What's your name? Why are you dressed like that? Where are you from? That was so cool! Show me how you did that! Where'd you learn it from? Huh? Huh?!"

"Yosh! That was exceptionally youthful!"

The female stranger paused, chestnut coloured eyes blinking at the two hyperactive boys before her, their orbs still shining with delight at the feat she had performed ten minutes ago. They hadn't given her the opportunity to speak at all, preferring to hear their own voices praise her instead but now it seemed like they were done and were waiting expectantly for her to answer them.

She giggled, finally extending a hand to Lee with an amused smile; he took it. "I'm Momo Hinamori. It's a pleasure to meet you!" She shook Naruto's hand and then bowed respectfully to the both of them; the blonde looked taken aback by her actions.

"I'm Rock Lee!"

Naruto scratched his hair, making it wilder than before. "Uh… Naruto Uzumaki." He was surprised that she didn't cringe from him like so many villagers from Konoha had done for the passed thirteen years. It was a relief to know that he wasn't viewed as a monster to some people after all. He gave her a cheeky but awkward grin. "That was so cool! Can you show us again?!"

Momo shook her head. "I really shouldn't. I have a job to do at the moment. I'll see you later perhaps." She turned, waving a hand over her shoulder as she walked away.

"I'll buy you ramen sometime!" Naruto shouted back as Lee swung his arm from side to side in the air like it was on fire.

"Farewell!"

Her giggle echoed down the street for a few seconds after she had vanished, leaving the two boys alone in silence. After a bit, Naruto looked to Lee and beamed. "She's so cool!"

"Yosh! So youthful!"

* * *

"Tenten!"

The weapons mistress pivoted, wincing and pressing a hand gingerly to her side, and seeing Neji and Ino come running towards her tailed by several children who were red in the face with exertion and were puffing loudly, even when they stopped at the entrance of the makeshift hospital. She tried to force her lips into a smile as she leaned inconspicuously against the wall; the beads of sweat rolling down the sides of her head, however, gave her away.

"Neji! Ino!" she greeted, fake smiling. "How were things with you?"

The Hyuuga lifted a young girl from his shoulders and placed her carefully onto the ground. She ran instantly to the group of orphans behind him who were now being attended by some medic-nin. Ino, beside him, reluctantly relinquished her hold on the baby to another medic, whispering some things under her breath to the healing ninja. With a weary sigh, she turned back to the two brunettes, wiping her brow.

"Difficult at the start but then the intruders seemed to vanish," Neji answered, patting at his shirt to rid it of visible dust.

"Couldn't save all the orphans," Ino added in timidly after him—Tenten winced again—crossing her arms gingerly. She switched her weight from her right leg to her left and looked away from Tenten's curious gaze. "We could only find those ten." She gestured to the children in the corner.

Tenten nodded in understanding, before arching an eyebrow. She tried to ignore Neji's eyes that were now scanning over her body, sensing that something was indeed wrong. She swallowed. "The intruders vanished?"

Neji grunted. "We found out why soon afterwards. Turns out some sort of extermination squad, or squads, were released from someplace." Her expression morphed to genuine confusion. "These squads have the ability to destroy the black intruders."

She raised her eyebrows almost to her hair line, her jaw dropping slightly. "You're kidding? But-but, that's not right! We've tried everything to defeat them and could hardly do anything! What—how—huh?!"

Ino swayed, her lips barely parting as she spoke. "They're not ninja, apparently."

It was only then did Tenten realise that the Yamanaka's face was unusually pale. Swallowing, she asked, "Did they hurt you? What happened?"

The blonde shrugged before shaking her head. "We only met one but he said that there were more."

"What happened? You didn't answer that."

"I don't think that she's the one who has to give more answers, Tenten," Neji cut in sharply, his eyes narrowing. The brunette swallowed again, her fingers unconsciously clenching over her side, and in retaliation, she winced. _Damn it!_

Ino gave her a serious look, followed by a one of slight anger when she noticed what Neji was hinting at. Her anger changed to concern as she stepped up to the weapons mistress and attempted to check the wound; Tenten winced as her shirt was lifted. She tried not to look her teammate in the eyes; his jaw was tight as he stared at her.

"What happened?" the Yamanaka whispered, blue eyes running over the white but now blood-soaked bandages that covered her entire stomach.

Tenten closed her eyes, pushing Ino's prying hands away from her body as she gritted out, "I'm fine."

Ino scoffed. "Don't knock me off."

"Answer her," Neji added.

The brunette female fought the urge to sigh as she pressed a hand gingerly to the wound again, only for it to be slapped away by the concerned blonde beside her. "It's not as bad as it looks." The two raised an eyebrow. "I'm serious! I just got scratched."

Ino snorted this time. "'Just got scratched' my ass; that's a mean one." She said as she jabbed a finger at the wound. She attempted to take another look but her hands were slapped away instead.

"I'm fine," Tenten gritted out. "Will probably be forced to keep off my feet for a few—"

"On the chair now!" the blonde snapped, pointing at the small stool that was right behind the blade expert. Tenten groaned loudly but gave in, lowering herself slowly.

"Anyway. Training will be suspended for a while. And before you ask, I got this wound by saving those two." She gestured dispiritedly at the two unconscious kids lying on their own rickety beds nearby, a medic nin waiting at their motionless bodies to keep a constant check for vital signs. "Almost got here about an hour ago—I had heard that there was a make-shift hospital nearer to the Hokage tower—but then those intruders arrived and knocked them out, managing to slice me up too." She bowed her head, her forehead resting in her palms as she fought back tears of failure. "They're both in critical condition."

Ino pressed a comforting hand on Tenten's shoulder, half expecting the tomboy to shrug her off, but she didn't; the blonde let out a sigh of relief.

There was a moment of silence, where in which the weapons mistress attempted to regain control of her emotions.

"There is another, Yamanaka," Neji said after a bit, pointing to a tall brunette man standing in the middle of the crowded street full of exhausted civilians and ninja. Kira, the man they had encountered before, approached him and gave a small bow—this proved that the other male was a superior.

Ino narrowed her blue eyes, peering around the corner of the wall, before looking away sharply. "What the hell is going on?" she hissed more to herself than to anyone else; her fingers unconsciously tightened around Tenten's shoulder.

"There's the Hokage," Tenten added too, her face drawn with disappointment.

Sure enough, the blonde woman appeared beside the supposed superior. Her posture seemed to hint that she was keeping her eye on him and his cohorts; he didn't react to her presence. At that moment, a third kimono garbed man appeared beside Kira. His lips moved quickly before he gestured behind himself.

Neji, Ino and Tenten looked a little further down the road and caught sight of half of Team 8 heading in their direction with an unconscious Sakura draped limply over Kiba's shoulder; said boy raised a hand in greeting. "Yo, guys!" Ino and Tenten waved a hello—the latter's kind of weakly—while Neji just gave a curt nod.

Medic-nin crowded to them the instant they stepped into the hospital and Shino and Sakura were whisked away before a single word could be uttered, leaving behind a blinking Inuzuka—and a panting Akamaru. He shrugged, rubbing his hands together and giving his companion a stroke on the head.

"What happened to you guys?" he asked, joining the group. Tenten noticed his eyes drawn to her waist. "Your bleeding." He pointed brusquely at the wound, and the weapons mistress glared at him, pressing a hand to her side only to cringe when she felt the stickiness of her shirt.

"Aww," she huffed. She reached for the end of her top and proceeded to pull it over her head when Ino stopped her short and dragged her, gently, to a medic nin to replace the bandages—Ino ended up getting her back fixed up quickly as well; she had left Neji and Kiba in an awkward silence. Moments later, the two returned, a grimace on both their lips.

"Stuff," Ino replied dryly as soon as they parked themselves down where they were before. Kiba blinked at her attitude but didn't say a word; he cast the more wounded female a curious expression, which she didn't see.

"Do you know his name?" Neji asked, gesturing to the silver-head who was still smiling widely. At that moment, a fourth stranger appeared; she was small and innocent looking.

Kiba growled under his breath, earning him a few confused expressions and a raised eyebrow. "Gin Ichimaru. He saved Shino's bacon; Sakura's as well."

"What happened?" Ino asked softly; she cast her eyes over the pinkette's sleeping form on a mattress nearby.

"Stuff," was Kiba's mocking reply. Ino glared at him and Tenten giggled despite her aching muscles.

"Help! Need immediate assistance!" a desperate cry flooded the street. Civilians and ninja alike turned to the source, seeing a chuunin come sprinting to the hospital, carrying a limp and frail body in his arms. The four Genin froze as soon as they caught sight of the short, bloodstained, navy hair and pale, feminine hands.

It was Hinata.

Neji went slightly pale as her lifeless body was carried shakily in and instantly stolen by a medic nin. Figures zoomed everywhere as they brought the heiress to a table and instantly began; shredding pieces of her clothing off and locating the wounds amongst the dark blood that stained her pale body.

Ino had gasped, hands to her mouth as she watched wide eyed, her face turning a shade of white just like the male Hyuuga beside her. Her body shook like a leaf but it was nothing compared to Kiba's absolute rage. His fists were clenched into tight balls and he gritted his teeth so hard that they began to hurt. Blood seeped from between his nails and he watched with desperation as the nin began to heal his frail teammate.

The medic's chatter and screams for assistance made the four of them go deaf before all the words gradually became a blur and nothing was distinguishable.

A nin ran passed them, knocking Kiba's shoulder as she ran to the street and cried for Tsunade's help, blood dripping to the ground as hysteria reached her voice. The Hokage entered swiftly, nudging Kiba once more, to whom she glanced at; she nodded to Shizune who instantly ushered the three out of the hospital—Tenten was forced to stay but she really did not want to.

Clenching and unclenching his fist, Kiba suddenly kicked a bucket nearby. At the same time, Neji snapped, gripping the Inuzuka by the shoulders tightly and narrowing his lavender eyes to a deadly glare. "Stop," he hissed, teeth bared as he pushed the canine lover away from him; Ino, beside him, burst into tears.

She didn't know Hinata like the back of her hand but the shy female was in her class in Academy, and the two had often seen each other on the streets and even had the odd outing. She was a friend. A fragile friend. And it froze the blonde to the core as her mind began screaming at her to accept that it was the life of a ninja. She knew it. She always knew it but… it was hard to face the reality of it.

A figure blurred passed her, only to halt so suddenly that the ninja almost fell face first into the tossed up dirt. He faced Ino with an alarmed face, which only shook her to the core even more. "Yamanaka! We've just received reports from the west! The Nara Residence is completely destroyed!"

Impossible.

Only just a few minutes ago Neji and her had arrived to safety and met with a wounded but otherwise fine Tenten. And now, in a matter of half an hour, two of her friends were facing death. How many more were wounded out there? How many of the sensei's were fighting? Breathing?

Her heart leaped to the throat as those words left the chunnin's lips and she fought desperately against the urge to just faint, to just fall asleep and wake up for the finale. If only she could but her loyalty kept her standing. Her head was light but heavy with fear and in a flash of purple and yellow, she disappeared from the walkway.

Neji shifted to Kiba as soon as the two left, and through grinding teeth, whispered hoarsely to the Inuzuka heir, "Stay here for Hinata."

"You know I will!" he barked back, not flinching under the Hyuuga's piercing glare before the branch member squatted and propelled up, following behind Ino. Adrenaline left Kiba body in a rush and exhaustion hit. He collapsed to his knees, the cries from within the makeshift hospital screaming and echoing in his mind.

"My my. Losing a lot of loved ones?" a mocking voice sounded above him.

Kiba growled menacingly, swiping viciously behind him only to hit nothing but air. His chest heaving, he glared at the silver-head grinning at him, his head blocking out the sunlight that would otherwise shine in the Inuzuka's face. His nails grew pointed and his canine's sharpened as he screamed, "It's your fault!"

Ichimaru's lips stretched even more if it were possible. "Mine? I fail to see how."

Akamaru barked as though to answer the man's question. "It's _your_fault—" he jabbed a clawed finger at the cat-like male, "—because you and your pathetic friends seem to know everything about these things attacking us!" Saliva spat everywhere and his face was turning a deep red from both anger and lack of air. "If you had come sooner, then none of this would have happened!"

"What's pathetic is a ninja—one who seems to specialise in dog training, after all, dogs are known for loyalty—is relying on a group of people they don't even know and is actually admitting the difference in strength."

Kiba snarled, leaping for the silver-head, attempting to claw his chest open.

Several things happened at once.

The blonde stranger whisked into view, his blade drawn and his legs spread into a prepared position. At the same time, a familiar smell hit Kiba's nose seconds before his mother appeared before him, snatching his arm out of distance from a strike of defence from the man.

Tsume pulled him back as his chest heaved heavily with exertion, his eyes narrowed solely on the grinning Ichimaru standing behind the other. Pain shot through his wrist like lightning and his parent shoved her face into his, spit spraying across his nose and cheeks as she yelled. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?! Think before completing such rash actions boy! Otherwise you _will_ get killed!"

"But he—!"

"I don't care! Don't let your temper get the better of you!"

"Why don't you learn the same thing?!"

A dull ringing echoed in his ears as he was punched on his cheek, causing him to spring across the ground and skid to the ground; Akamaru whined and attempted to retreat, only for Kuromaru to block him and growl threateningly. Stars flittered in front of his Kiba's eyes and he shakily lifted himself above the ground, coughing and hacking as he spat blood to the soil. "I'm trying to stop you from making the same mistakes I did!" Tsume shouted. "Now enough of this! Either stay and keep your mouth shut or go help with the Nara compound!"

Kiba rubbed his cheek, his teeth aching badly, and he felt more blood begin to pool around his tongue. He spat it out again.

Neji entered his mind._ "Stay here for Hinata." _And then his teammate's bloody body flittered through.

He sighed grudgingly, his chest burning to destroy something to release his vented anger but he didn't. He calmly—as much as possible—sat down, digging his nails into the tilled earth. Akamaru gave a cautious whine as he stole his way to his master and sat down beside him.

Tsume nodded in satisfaction, Kuromaru grunting beside her.

Ichimaru just grinned. Not long after, Shizune herded the four black garbed strangers to the tower; Kiba scowled as they walked passed.

* * *

"Shikamaru! Shikamaru!" Ino screamed, tears of fear streaming down her small cheeks as she sprinted across the east wing of the manor, her shoes pounding on the broken tiles of the roof. "_Shikamaru!_" Her voice cracked.

She sprinted around more, cursing her legs for not carrying her faster even though she was exhausted.

"Shikamaru! Please!" Breasts contracting, she took in a sudden heavy breath, her oesophagus straining to take in the air due to the tightness in her chest. The sensation was coarse, making her cough to clear her throat of saliva. "Please! Come out!" More tears leaked from her eyes. "Shikamaru!"

"Yamanaka!"

Ino whipped around, hair flipping across her face and sticking to the wet trails over her cheeks. Hope fluttered in her chest like a horde of butterflies were set loose and were fighting to fly higher. Knees trembling, she took a step towards the helping chuunin, eyes wide as fear soon enveloped her insides.

Did she truly want to see what it was? What if it was Shikamaru and he was wounded? Or worse… dead?

She took a hasty step back, shaking her head.

"Yamanaka!" the chuunin called out again, waving her down; a few other ninja around approached him, beginning to heave debris off of something.

She shook her head again, her brain pounding as negatives pulsed in her mind. "No," she whispered. What if? She watched, frozen, as the ninja tossed more wood and metal to the side, eventually exposing something that she could not entirely see from her spot. They crouched low, their hands touching whatever it was they had uncovered.

And then she felt her heart restart when one shouted in a clear, but desperate voice, "He's alive! Get him to the hospital!" Several nin proceeded to lift the body cautiously off the ground and she caught sight of spiky brown hair and a limp arm as the ninja carrying him turned.

Ino practically flew to him, relieved that it was Shikamaru—her mind refused to believe it was anybody else—but suddenly skidded to a halt when another mournfully said, "This one's not."

The air lodged in her throat.

* * *

The council room door opened and Tsunade entered, her body visibly tired from the previous session at the hospital. She wiped at her brow with the back of her hand before rounding to her seat, giving a nod to both Homura and Koharu along the way—who scowled at her lateness. The blonde slouched in her chair for a few seconds, taking in a few breaths, before she straightened; the elderly lady beside her stiffened her jaw and wrinkled her nose.

"We are the Hidden Leaf Council and we'd like to hear your reasons and role for invading our village," Koharu started after a moment's silence, her voice flooding the entire room consisting of the rest of the council with the Hokage and her assistant at the head. She tilted her head at the four people in front of her in question.

"Invade?" Ichimaru repeated; his grin seemed to widen at the thought. "You're branding us before an explanation. Innocent until proven guilty remember." It was said as a statement rather than a question.

"_Guilt_ is written all over your face."

He shrugged. "There you go again."

"Captain Ichimaru," Aizen warned, casting a glance in the silver-heads direction before bowing in apology to Koharu. "My apologies." The female member grunted, as though only half satisfied by the respect this other man showed. She set her eyes on Ichimaru before directing her vision back to Aizen. "If you would allow me to explain?" He received a nod from the elderly lady. "Good. Now, perhaps it would be better if you asked more detailed questions."

"Of course," Koharu agreed; Tsunade leaned back in her chair, acting like she didn't have any intention of joining in on the interrogation. "We have tried many ways to destroy these intruders—"

"—hollows," Ichimaru almost sang. Koharu glared at him with lidded eyes before continuing on.

"—these _hollows_ but none of our tactics have worked. However, yours do. Explain."

"I believe the basic knowledge of hollows is required first of all," Ichimaru interrupted again, his smile widening as Koharu went taut in her seat; Homura, on the other side, narrowed his eyes. "But if you _really_ want the answer… it's all because we're shinigami… and you're not."

"Shinigami?"

"What the? It's not possible."

"They don't exist."

"He's lying."

Council members burst into discussion, sending glares of suspicion down at the shinigami. Homura and Koharu seemed to go white at the thought and, if it were possible, seemed to leer even more. Tsunade leaned forward in her seat, lacing her fingers and placing her elbows on the desk as she analysed the four. "Death gods," she muttered.

"Silence!" One of the members yelled and instantly the room went as still as the grave. Ichimaru's smile widened even more at the hysteria he had caused just by stating the truth.

"A shinigami is trained specifically to destroy hollows like the ones who attacked your village, along with other tasks, such as allowing passage for souls to pass on," Aizen explained patiently; Momo smiled behind him.

"Souls?" Tsunade queried.

"The dead," Ichimaru answered bluntly. The Hokage switched her sight from Aizen to the silver-head beside him for a second.

"There are many questions we have yet to ask," stated Homura. He straightened in his seat and crossed his arms on the desk, leaning forward in interest.

Aizen nodded. "Then ask."

"We have never heard of hollows attacking anybody until three days ago when they suddenly appeared out of nowhere," Koharu explained, her wrinkly lips thinning. The council members situated around the room gave a nod of agreement.

"None of us here know the full details of why and how it happened but—"

"—none of you here?!" a member snapped, rising partly out of his seat. Kira and Momo glanced at each other then to the ninja who rose, their fingers twitching, ready to grasp their blade if needed. "How many of you are there?!"

Aizen shifted to face the council member, his patient smile residing on his face once more. "There are many. We, Squads 3 and 5, were sent to exterminate the hollows that currently threatened your village."

"You speak as though more will come," Koharu noted.

Ichimaru chuckled. "There'll be a lot more." She seemed to whiten considerably at the thought.

"To answer your initial question," Aizen interrupted before some sort of argument broke loose, "this is the first time a shinigami has ever set foot in your world."

"Our world?" Tsunade prodded, leaning even further over her desk.

"We have never encountered human beings that are like you. Your fighting style is different from our own."

"And it will not be disclosed," Koharu stated firmly.

Aizen raised an eyebrow. "I was not asking."

"How is this the first time?" Tsunade encouraged, her tone hinting that she longed for this interrogation to end, even though it was quite interesting so far.

"I believe the word our scientists used was 'tear'. Somehow the barrier hiding your world from the rest was suddenly torn open, giving both shinigami and hollows access. The only thing is the tear is larger in Huenco Muendo, which is a plane between Soul Society—where shinigami and souls reside—and the human world. Because the tear is larger, more hollows can seep through."

"And yet you are here?" Homura grunted.

"It took time for the tear to be located in Soul Society, and once it was found, Captain Yamamoto sent us: the Captains and Lieutenants of Squads 3 and 5."

"So more will come?" a member asked.

Ichimaru crossed his arms. "Did no one hear me say it before?" Numerous council members twitched at his tone and voice, particularly his brash use of words.

"Yes," Aizen nodded. "More will come and Captain Yamamoto will continue to send shinigami to keep this world safe."

"Would it not be easier for you to train some of our own in your ways?" Koharu suggested.

The room went silent. It felt like an icy breeze surged through without anyone even taking notice of it. Aizen's expression didn't falter for a second but the notion clearly seemed like taboo of a sort. This confused Tsunade, as it was a rather rational question, but then again, not everyone is willing to expose their techniques and secrets to just anybody; themselves included.

"Regrettably, the idea would give us the opportunity to focus more shinigami on other areas than to keep an eye out for you but—" Aizen began, only to be interrupted like several times before; his fingers twitched.

"'Regrettably?'" Homura snapped deeply, his voice bellowing into the room. "'An eye out'? You talk as though we are mere children and nothing more than a nuisance!"

Aizen opened his mouth to respond but wasn't able to get out a word before a council member cut in. "It seems to me as though they don't want to share their knowledge."

"And did we?" Tsunade accused, narrowing her eyes at the member who had spoken. Her fingers tightened considerably over her the back of her hands before she slammed her palms down. "They have every right not to, just like we do! Perhaps if your mind was not swelling with desire for more power, then a deal could be made with fair prices on both sides!"

"Lady Hokage! Please retake your seat!" Koharu snapped, glaring at the blonde Sannin as said woman slowly lowered back down.

Tsunade gritted her teeth then began grinding them, glaring at the elderly lady to the side of her. She released a tense breath before redirecting her attention to the shinigami. "Continue what you were saying."

"Perhaps this matter could be discussed and debated with more suited shinigami," Aizen suggested, his posture now a little more tense then his usual laid back one that Tsunade had seen before.

"Explain."

Ichimaru chuckled, though there was no real humour in it. "The prospect will be discussed with the 13 Captains of the Court Guard Squads." The fact that he spoke with pride wasn't lost within the members but they didn't question upon it, already understanding that these Captains held much influence in decisions.

"How will we be able to debate our point of view if you are in this Soul Society?" Koharu asked.

"Don't worry. We'll return." He waved at her, ignoring—and possibly revelling—in her put out expression of such a gesture.

Homura stood. "How can we be sure?"

Tsunade glared in his direction. "We can't if there is no trust. If we want this alliance to work, we'll have to trust that they'll return." She eyed the shinigami by the end of her sentence and Aizen seemed to give her a slight nod of agreement.

"You are a good leader," he stated calmly; Tsunade fought the urge to say something back but luckily didn't. Today just wasn't her day to begin with.

"If that will be all?" Ichimaru gave a short bow—mockingly, of course.

"Not quite." Koharu stood this time. "It may be prudent for you to leave someone behind to explain to us in full detail of shinigami and your history."

He frowned, his smile slightly receding due to the demand. "Why?"

"If we are to be allies, a good bridge would be to extend some basic knowledge to one another."

He put his hands on his hips, amused though distantly—very distantly—irritated. "And who would you have in exchange?"

"Captain Ichimaru, perhaps this swap should not proceed until—" Kira was suddenly cut off.

"—it's not the information they're overly worried about at the moment Lieutenant," Aizen said, his brown eyes scanning carefully over Tsunade, Koharu and Homura. "While our information would interest them, the main reason for this exchange would be to hold one of our own as hostage in case we do not return."

The chill breeze returned as he neared the end of his sentence, and went as cold as ice as soon as he finished. Within seconds Konoha members shot to their feet and began shouting outrages at the shinigami, their fist shaking at them violently as though they were voting for an obvious life and death situation. Aizen's smile seemed to widen a smidgen; Tsunade narrowed her eyes, catching sight of it.

The room was filled with screams that echoed back twice as loud until nobody could really discern would the scramble of noise really meant. And it didn't even have an affect on the shinigami, particularly the two Captains at the front.

"Enough!" Tsunade shouted but silence was not given to her at once. "Shut up!" Members gradually quietened their vocals, glaring at both the Hokage and the shinigami. After several minutes of waiting in the stillness, just daring anybody to utter a word, she snapped her honey eyes to Aizen who seemed to be the allocated leader. "The discussion of 'shinigami training ninja' will occur here, in Konoha, as I'm sure you do not want _this_ lot in Soul Society." Ichimaru chuckled and she further ignored the glares being sent her way. "Is this decision sufficient?"

Aizen nodded after a moment.

"What of the exchange?" Koharu asked, anger embedded in her vocals as she spoke; her voice shook under the strain of keeping control.

"That can wait til an agreement is made on both sides," Tsunade explained. The tone in her voice hinted that the topic was now closed. "I assume that you will continue to lend assistance while you are gone?" Her question was directed to the shinigami.

The room was eerily quiet now that it was not flooded with shattering noise.

"All hollows around Konoha and the tear have been eliminated. Some shinigami will be posted beside the tear, in your world, to ensure that if any more hollows go through they will not reach your village," Aizen said.

Tsunade bobbed her head sternly. "Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go check up on a few patients." She pivoted sharply. "Shizune."

Her assistant nodded, moving aside to allow the big-breasted blonde passed before following behind. Tsunade ignored the looks of anger, disappointment and disagreement being thrown at her from all sides. Seriously, there were more important things to do than sever a tie with a formidable ally.

_The fools,_ she thought, her heels clicking on the stone as she exited the room, Shizune in her wake. _They'll be the death of me._

* * *

_Hoped you enjoyed! **Please** read my AN below. _

_Thankyou so much for your support from the past two chapters (+ favourites and alerts); it is muchly appreciated. :3 _

_A few things though: _

_1) The chapter titles are now going to be in Latin (points above) and the previous ones have been changed as well. Along with it, because I have planned everything as a trilogy, there is more added to the title to accommodate this story. Incrementum = Growth as far as I know; any Latin-ers, please tell me if this is correct._

_2) I normally do not do this at all but I'd like to see what some people come up with; after all, it also gives me an idea and time to picture what the two are like together. That's right. It's pairings. I'd just like to know what people think and why. It does __**not**__, however, mean that I will follow it—it's not a poll or anything—but your choice can influence my final decision. _

_3) I changed something from my last AN's. I had said that this story will be "REALLY AU" but it probably isn't that much AU at all. Sure, some things have been twisted around or have been deleted from either timeline but, in actuality, it isn't incredibly AU. Apologies for that mistake and ta to Mistra Rose for helping me straighten that out._

_Thankyou for enduring and reading my rants! :D And please review - constructive criticism, questions, things you liked, didn't like. Ta!  
_


	4. Cry

_I'm getting these chapters out quick, aren't I? Why am I complaining? Seriously._

_Anyway, yes, I hope you do cry in this chapter. It's sort of a filler chapter, in the aspect that it glimpses over a few peoples feelings and such, but it also has the shinigami arriving as well. I hope it moves you._

_EDIT: __Oh yeah, I have a poll in my profile. __**Which BLExNAR oneshot pairing should I write next?**__ is what it's called. Please vote. AND, take a look at my other BLExNAR oneshots too please - muchly appreciated.  
_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Naruto or Bleach_

_Enjoy!

* * *

_

FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM  
**~4~**  
"Cry"

* * *

It was… getting hard to breathe. So… hard.

She stretched out her fingers on both sides, hoping to reach for something that would pull her back, tug her out of the crushing water that was enveloping her, but she felt nothing but soft sheets under her fingertips. Heart pounding, she clenched her hand, catching some of the material in her palm as she suddenly gasped and sucked in air.

Why? Why was it suddenly so hard to breathe? Why couldn't she take in the air?

Panic fuelled her and she snapped her eyes open, seeing a white ceiling before blackness as she tried to take in more air. Her fingers clenched even more tightly around the sheets and pain bloomed across her chest and stomach. She attempted to open her mouth and scream but nothing came out and nothing came in when she went to breathe in. She was gasping, coughing for so much needed breath.

Foreign hands began running over her wrists and ankles, holding her down to her bed. She didn't like it. She wanted to be free, wanted to walk towards the light that shone in the distance of the blackness she was seeing. It was… so beautiful.

Her head was throbbing and her vision occasionally sparkling—almost like stars on black velvet—she collapsed into her cot, feeling herself deflate entirely. The urge to move and breathe was too difficult, too tiring.

The hands attempted to do something else but she couldn't concentrate. Their touch was fading slowly into nothing but a vague numbness.

Letting out the very last remnant of air, she opened her eyes briefly, seeing a bright light flash viciously and tormentingly across her vision. Looking passed the light, she managed to see blonde bangs dangling over her before the dark consumed her.

She closed her eyes slowly, feeling her heartbeat thump loudly in her ears before the beating drum began to slow. Its pace was… sad… as though it too was too tired to move on like she.

It slowed, the silence between each thump sounding like paradise as she reached her fingers out to the light before her. The warmth on her fingertips made her smile and she stepped through, the last beat the final one she'd ever hear.

* * *

Tears.

Wherever he looked, from right to left, that was all he could see. He hadn't realised that the invasion had caused so many casualties and that a few of them he had actually known to an extent. He wanted to close his eyes and never have to see the crying dirty faces of so many citizens of Konoha but their piercings screams of internal pain made him regret ever choosing to be a ninja. He had chosen the profession to prove himself but to also stop fighting. Well, he failed.

Naruto mournfully sighed and placed his hand on the door handle, watching a young girl scream and hit her mother down the hall. His hand was frozen at the scene but he forced himself to push the handle down and swing it open. His heart clenched even harder than before when he saw the pink hair splayed over the white satin sheets.

Sakura.

She was still asleep it looked like. Naruto had been told what her condition was though, and had been relieved—an understatement of course, considering he was ready to tear down all the buildings around him if he heard she was critically injured—to learn that she just collapsed under exhaustion. He didn't doubt that Ino would taunt the pinkette about the fact that she had to be removed from the field just because she was tired but… considering the state that Ino was in.

Naruto sat down at Sakura's bed, resting his arms on the side.

Ino and Chouji hadn't left Shikamaru's bedside since he had been carried in twelve hours ago; his father was found dead on top of him, shielding himself from the brunt of an attack. He was surprised to see that it was Neji comforting the blonde when they arrived but he had quickly detached himself from her and left to visit Tenten then Hinata.

It was horrible.

He didn't know most of what happened, only paying attention to the danger that surrounded him near the west of Konoha, so he was a little confused about why those strangers left—he tried waving to Momo but she didn't seem to have seen him. Asking Tsunade was fruitless, as she refused to answer any questions, stating that everything will be explained later on.

He hoped it would.

A crash and a scream outside startled him out of his reverie. Curiosity overwhelmed him when the noises continued, and he walked to the door, opening it a bit to peek his head out.

"What do you mean?!" Kiba screamed, trying to pull the nurses arms off his shoulders as he stood right before Tsunade. His face was red and Naruto could see his veins around his neck beginning to bulge. "What do you mean?" A sob tore from his throat half way through his sentence and the anger behind it began to dissolve. "What do you—" the Inuzuka took in a sharp breath, his face contorted into fear and sadness as he doubled over, his hands clutching the nurses forearms so tightly that they were wincing.

A wracking sob ripped from Kiba's lips once more and he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his red face. With only a half hearted growl, he tore himself from the nurses grip and buried his face into his hands, letting out another howl that echoed down the corridor and chilled Naruto to the bone.

He was confused. Why was Kiba so… distraught? So upset? He blinked his blue eyes, catching sight of Akamaru whimpering—and yowling quietly as well—under a chair nearby his master. "What… what happened?" Naruto asked softly, his voice a little sketchy.

No one answered him.

He stepped out, approaching the scene. "What happened Granny Tsunade?"

"Get lost!" Kiba shouted instead. His nails began digging into his forehead so that he was drawing blood.

Naruto frowned. "What the heck was that for?!" He recoiled back in surprise when the normally prideful Inuzuka lifted his head fiercely, his canine-like eyes almost ablaze with anger. "What?" he whispered.

"Don't butt in, you idiot!" It was clear that he couldn't find strong enough words to show his frustration as he spat out the last of his sentence. "You don't know anything!"

Courage slipped into the blonde as he spoke up. "I will if you tell me!"

"Why should I?!" Kiba snarled. "All you care about is your precious Sakura! She's all you have eyes for! She's the only one you ever visited in this hospital!" Spit was flying everywhere as the canine-lover vented loudly; the emotion in his words brought people to tears and seemed to crush Naruto's heart.

"What do you mean? Maybe I can—"

"Kami! And you're meant to be a fucking ninja?! You—" he was breathing heavily, "—you can't bring back the dead, Naruto!"

Ice cold water seemed to crush Naruto at Kiba's words. But even though he was so cold, his skin felt hot and sweaty. It was strange and all it did was cloud his mind. He couldn't think. He couldn't breathe. All he could do was stare at the Inuzuka's pained face as he stormed passed him, nudging his shoulder roughly.

Who died?

"You have no discreetness, Naruto," Tsunade cut in. The blonde looked up at the Hokage, his blue eyes wide with confusion. His lips were parched and he hurriedly licked them before opening his mouth to ask what it was all about; but she interrupted him. "Look for yourself." He blinked, and she gestured to the room down the end of the corridor, where Shizune was standing, her clipboard pressed against her chest tightly; her lips were in a grim line and her brow was furrowed.

Swallowing, Naruto walked to the door, glancing at Shizune as he stepped into the room. There, bending over the white sheeted cot, was Kurenai of Team 8. She was crying. Her head buried into the stomach of the recently deceased. Her sobs were quiet, muffled by the satin fabric she was resting on.

"Naruto."

Said boy jumped a half a mile at the new voice, his jaw permanently lowered it seemed. It was Shino, and if he looked close enough, Naruto could see some clear tear streaks running down the Aburame's cheeks. The normally indifferent boy directed his eyes elsewhere quickly.

But that meant—Naruto snapped his head back to the bed, scanning over the small feet at the foot of the cot and then the pale, small hands that were poking out beneath Kurenai's chest.

Hinata.

* * *

The sky. It wasn't dark and gloomy but rather the very opposite. The sun shone down onto the headstones, the grass surrounding the stone gently swaying in the light breeze that swept over the graveyard.

It wasn't at all like the last time death surrounded them. The day the Hokage passed away. Instead, it was peaceful, just what you'd expect from a place that was meant for the peace and quiet, that was meant for the departure of souls and the ending of lives. But, to some, lives were very short.

Chocolate brown hair danced in the wind, curling and tracing over Neji's broad shoulders. He wasn't deterred. His gaze remained fixated on the headstone before him, a bouquet of fresh purple flowers held limply in his slender fingertips as though he had just forgotten why he was there in the first place. His lips were parted, like he had something to say but nothing had sprung to mind. But there was. There was so much he wanted to say to—to Hinata Hyuuga; his cousin. But he was lost at words nonetheless.

He felt ridiculous.

Sure, he hadn't known Hinata that well before the Chuunin Exams, having hated the main family for at least a quarter of his life but... ever since that day—the day that the Hokage was killed—Neji felt something for her. He felt... respect that was previously diminished; respect that sparked to life after he had open his eyes. _Truly_ opened his eyes.

Hinata.

A death by the unknown did not suit her.

Her broken, bloody body was something Neji had tried to banish from his mind for hours, for four days. But every time he thought that he'd kicked out the image from his pristine, white mind, darkness and blood swirled in and he ended up in frustration. Sparring somehow didn't release enough of his anger and he was beginning to feel strangely apologetic for a lot of things, such as beating up Lee accidentally.

It was horrible. He prided himself on self control but her death seemed to have stripped him of that quality, and, in the same way, made him a little more human. It was like she was still around, channelling her personality traits into him. For example; her apologetic nature. For some... bizarre reason, Neji found himself saying _sorry_ for a number of things, such as forgetting to bow to Lord Hiashi, or forgetting to knock before entering a room. It was hard to believe that her death had such a big impact on him.

It pissed him off too.

Sighing, his fingers tightening around the bunched stems of the flowers in his hand, he bent and placed them across the stone, the petals somehow underlining her name to make it stand out, make it seem soft. Because she was; her name, her body, her movement, everything about her was soft.

His fingers lightly traced over the stems as his eyes flickered to her headstone again. He ignored the incessant tickling of his long hair against the nape of his neck and arms as he rested his arm on his knee and bowed his head.

Say... something.

"'I'm sorry.'"

Neji lifted his head quickly, lavender tinted eyes staring into miserable brown ones. He was so used to seeing Shikamaru with sarcastic, lidded expressions, that seeing one full of sadness made him slightly uneasy. Only a little though.

Shikamaru's bound hair swayed in the wind too, the sun coming down from behind him, casting a shadow across Neji. He gestured to the purple flowers that the other had rested upon Hinata's grave. "Purple Hyacinth." The Hyuuga raised an eyebrow. "They mean 'sorry'."

"They do?" Neji rose, examining the bouquet of purple upon the gray marbled slab. "Yamanaka."

"Don't blame her," Shikamaru stated, his hands in his pockets; his lips were thin and white.

"I wasn't. Just... how'd she know that I...?" He let his question hang.

A silence passed over the two, the sun beating down on them softly. It was warming, enlightening. The leaves on the trees rustled in the wind, their sound carrying across the graveyard smoothly and calmingly like a fish going with the current of a flowing stream. It was peaceful, relaxing, hearing nothing. It felt like their loved ones were still there, watching them think, watching them move.

"She's good that way. She knows what other people are thinking," Shikamaru replied softly, his voice being tossed around in the breeze, "without them even realising."

Neji's lips lifted, a half smile forming. "I'll have to thank her." He lifted his head to meet the Nara's gaze. "She knew just what I wanted to say."

The silence crooned over them once more but they didn't mind. Unfortunately, all too soon, that stillness was shattered by a new arrival. Their footsteps were light but sounded incredibly heavy with the serene mood set.

At once Neji and Shikamaru stared at the opening in the trees, seeing a figure melt out of the dull shadows of the shade. And at the same time, both of them felt a surge of anger bubble within them. They clenched their hands and tightened their muscles, their eyes hardening on the man garbed in black robes with a white sleeveless cloak over the top, the ends of the material fluttering in the wind like butterfly wings. His hair, black and long, danced in the breeze too, as he moved against the flow—it was almost like he was gliding across the surface. His hands were, respectively, by his sides.

They didn't know him, only that he was sided with those people they had seen before, and somehow, both Neji and Shikamaru felt that it was a sensible reason to feel anger towards him because of it. Just... because... someone had to be _blamed_.

Neither of them moved, merely watched the man advance on them, his coal eyes almost staring into their souls it seemed. Eventually he halted a couple of metres apart from them. "You have come to pay your respect," he stated more then questioned. Neji lifted his jaw, noting the tone the way the man spoke. He was a noble. In response to this new knowledge, the Hyuuga relaxed a little.

"Yes," Shikamaru replied stiffly, his eyes—that once portrayed sorrow and remnants of tears—now hard and narrowed like steel.

The man reached for the woven-fabric handle by his side and the two ninja stiffened, spreading their feet slightly. He didn't stop. He grasped his blade and unsheathed it, twirling it effortlessly in his finger tips before suddenly thrusting the hilt into the air to his side; his eyes remained fixated on them, as if daring them to do something.

Confusion swallowed the two ninja. What was he doing? They felt it then. It was like the serenity of the graveyard had suddenly vanished, leaving the plain in darkness that gnawed at their hearts.

The stranger did it again—the darkness tightening on their insides like just a moment ago—before sheathing his blade. "You have been heard."

* * *

The doorbell rang, echoing loudly in the small, pleasant feeling store. The scent of at least a thousand different flowers filled Sakura's nostrils at once, and she breathed it in; all of it. It seemed like years since she was able to relax, able to walk around Konoha without seeing sadness and destruction everywhere, and, no matter how small it was, the Yamanaka flower shop somehow made the decaying hole within Sakura sow slowly.

She traced over the shelves, taking in the gorgeous, ripe plants that were tendered to and cared for with passion. It was alarming to walk into such a precious and alive store after what just happened.

Those three days, since she had woken up, had gone on forever.

Waking up to the news of Hinata's death was mind numbing enough, but Sakura had no idea what it was like to lose a parent like Shikamaru had. She couldn't even find herself mustering up to say the words 'I'm sorry' or 'my condolences' as it seemed like it wasn't never enough. It would never be enough.

"Sakura." Said pinkette elevated her head, searching Ino's face for something as the blonde leaned against the counter, her hair falling limply over her shoulder like a waterfall. She tapped her nails on the glass top rhythmically before straightening. "What would you like?"

The atmosphere, although so pleasant and relaxing, was also awkward. Neither of them knew what to say. "Nothing." She scrutinised her clean hands. They were clean, she was sure of it, but they still felt filthy somehow. Dirt still somehow found its way under her nails and her finger pads were so coarse that she found it a little strange to round her tips together.

The boy.

Hinata and Shikamaru's father weren't the only ones to perish. Many others did, even though she did not know them, and that boy—the boy who she risked her life for—was dead. She was told the story when she awoke as well.

Shino had left him on the rooftop to head back to save her. Someone else arrived and saved the both of them. Then, apparently, the boy's state of unconsciousness merged into death during that time. Sakura recalled how the Aburame had trouble explaining it at the point, as Hinata's death was still quite near, and she remembered his body language crystal clear. He kept playing with his finger tips—a habit he might have unconsciously adopted because of the late Hyuuga—and, while he did look at her, he also didn't. She knew what he was saying anyway.

He was sorry.

That was enough for her to break down and fling her arms around his neck to pull him into an embrace. She had felt him tense in her arms, and bending over the hospital bed mustn't have been comfortable, but he had relaxed while she cried her heart onto his shoulder.

"Sakura."

She sucked in air harshly, glancing from side to side before focusing on Ino. She felt water begin to tickle her eyes until it started to hurt, and slowly, inevitably, tears leaked, crawling over her cheeks in one, then two drops; they multiplied as the saliva in her mouth increased. Her chest ached as she held in her sob. It took all her effort just to part her lips and croak out, "How's Shikamaru?" She burst out into tears, squatting to the floor and hiding her face with her hands and hair.

She didn't care that she was baring her soul in the middle of a flower shop. She didn't care that someone, some random person, could look through window and see her crying like a baby. She just didn't give a damn.

Ino's hands wrapped around her neck in a flash, pressing her head beneath the blonde's chin firmly. Another sob ripped passed her lips and she gripped Ino's arms with shaking hands hesitantly before wrapping them around the girl's slim waist.

Cold water splattered across her temple suddenly and slid down passed her ears, running alongside her own tear trails. Surprised, Sakura tilted her head a little and saw a puffy-eyed Ino, her blue eyes squinting heavily under the frowns on her brow. "He's—" saliva deterred her speech and she hastily swallowed, "—he's been better."

Sakura managed a giggle, even though she was a blubbery mess. "We—" she sniffed, "—we must look ridiculous." She choked out a laugh, her bangs pasting to her forehead as she pressed her head against Ino's shoulders; said girl's hands tightened on Sakura's biceps, pinching her skin a little.

"N-Nice one," Ino giggled too. "Ru-Ruined the mo—" she hiccupped, "—ment, Billboard Brow."

The pinkette burst into laughter, sniffling every two seconds to avoid a messy nose as well. "Let's hope no one sees us," she coughed out, repositioning herself by detaching herself from Ino reluctantly and staring her friend in the eyes. Blue stared into green. Swallowing, and through down-turned lips, Sakura whispered, "How did I ever let Sasuke come in between us?" She shook her head as she spoke before wiping away at her eyes with the back of her palm.

"Yeah. You were an idiot," Ino agreed, mirroring her actions. "What a waste of water." She sniffled loudly. "We should have cried over the flowers, Sakura."

That alone sent the pinkette into hysterics, collapsing onto the dusty tiled floor and cackling to her hearts content. The hole was repairing itself again; slowly, like always.

Commotion outside quietened the two friends, and, curious, Ino raised herself off the floor and stole her way to the window, peering out passed the glass and seeing a crowd beginning to form around the side of the main path. "What is it?" Sakura voiced from behind.

Ino shrugged and sniffled, wiping her nose. "I dunno. Something is coming. Come on. Let's go see." She grabbed the pinkette's hand without another word and yanked her out the door, making sure to flip the 'Open' sign to 'Closed' before running to the back of the mob of citizens. She and Sakura both had to duck once or twice when workers turned around with large planks of wood on their shoulders.

"Yikes!" Ino cried as she was about to make contact with someone. She twirled on her toes, lips stuck in surprise, as she landed down again, just in time to see the stern, chiselled face of a man that reminded her, somehow, of an older looking Sasuke—if she ever saw him old. He glanced briefly in her direction as he glided passed, his black locks wisping over his eyes and passed his ears as he turned back and joined the unnatural group of strangers in the middle of the road, where all the uproar was happening. She followed him with her eyes, jaw slightly lowered, lids and eyebrows high. "Sa-Sakura."

The pinkette beside her nodded in agreement, apparently awestruck herself.

Something suddenly collided with Ino and she yelped in surprise, falling but then suddenly catching on something in mid air. Snapping her eyes open, she saw a hand grasped around her elbow and Shikamaru's alarmingly warm eyes. He hoisted her up.

"Shikamaru!" She quickly wiped away the tears around her eyes, hoping that they weren't bright red from the recent waterworks. "Who was—?"

He shrugged, cutting her off. "Dunno." He looked back to where the man went, swallowing; Ino and Sakura followed his eyes. Sakura did a double take.

"Neji! You too?!"

The Hyuuga did a short lift of the shoulders before stepping up beside the Nara. "He's one of them."

"Huh?" Ino raised an eyebrow before noticing what he was talking about. "Oh! You mean the clothes!" She effectively cut him off as he was about to answer her.

The four watched in interest as the group of black and white garbed strangers slowly walked down the main street, ignoring the calls and questions from the sidelines as Konoha citizens screamed them at them.

"I wonder why they're here," Sakura muttered. "And who they are. I mean, I do know that they were the ones, supposedly, who cleaned up Konoha but… _who_ are they?"

"I don't know," Neji responded. "But I have a feeling we're going to find out."

There was a brief gap of silence.

"Wait..." Ino narrowed her eyes, her eyebrows pointing inwards. "Shikamaru... why are you out of the hospital?"

He froze, peering at the Hyuuga beside him as the Hyuuga side glanced back, a slight smile on his lips. "Uhhh..."

"You _know_ you shouldn't be out! You could open that cut! Neji!" The brunette looked taken aback that he was being involved in her scolding. "You should have sent him back! You knew he was wounded!"

"He volunteered to escort me to the graveyard." Ino's reprimanding scowl vanished in an instant at Shikamaru's soft-spoken words. "He visited Hinata while we were there."

The blonde crossed her arms—Sakura behind her let her lips lengthen in interest—and took a step back. "You very well might have been out there to visit them but what else did you boys do? What an earth caused your wound to reopen?" She tapped her fingers on her forearm as Shikamaru's expression morphed from slight anger to absolute surprise as he leered down, panic now evident on his face.

"Shit!" Blood was soaking into his casual khaki coloured shirt and spreading quickly—Sakura and Ino tried not to laugh. "Neji!"

"What?" The Hyuuga looked positively baffled that he was suddenly being blamed again.

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I didn't—"

That did it. The two girls burst into fits of giggles at Neji's fearful expression; he glared at them with his infamous glare but it just sent them into hysterics. Meanwhile, Shikamaru was ignoring them, having already disappeared down the street holding his wound.

"Wait!" Neji held up a hand. "Let me help!" He winced as he took a step forward; he sounded like Hinata again. "Dammit." Nonetheless he shot off after the Nara, leaving behind two girls who were gasping for breath.

Wiping tears—this time of mirth—from her eyes, Ino shakily rose to a stand. "That was the funniest thing I have ever seen."

Sakura giggled, leaning on the blonde's shoulder for support. "You-You obviously forgot about the time that Naruto and Sasuke kissed."

Ino howled in laughter and the two fell into frenzy once more. Luckily no one noticed.

* * *

_Do you know those moments when you are reading or writing a scene and suddenly some very sad music comes on and fits the scene perfectly? Yeah, well, it happened a few times during this. _

_Anyway, thankyou so much for support and suggestions last chapter. As a gift, I toss out chocolates and flowers and a plushie that changes character according to who you want. *grins* Carrying on, a few of the pairings are decided but you are still welcome to suggest others; who knows, the pairing might not be in this but I may write a oneshot with them still. _

_Please review!_


	5. Calamity

_Long chapter and AN BELOW—important.

* * *

_

FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM  
**~5~**  
"Calamity"

* * *

"So… that's them," Asuma grunted, his words muffled by the lit cigarette between his lips; wisps of light smoke wafted into the air as the fag continued to die. The jounin's eyes were focused on the thirteen 'shinigami' down below, their attire sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the council members circling them.

Shinigami. To all the jounin, when they had been briefed by the Hokage two days ago—apparently after the 'shinigami' had left—they thought they were a hoax. True, they had not seen them in action, particularly in the way they said they performed their tasks; such as allowing passage for souls. Well, not exactly a hoax, as they certainly did have something different about them, but the idea just seemed too unreal to be true.

In a way, they held exact to the quote "seeing is believing" and the jounin intended to watch very carefully.

"Must be," Kurenei responded; her eyes still held recent despair. Red eyes traced over the alarmingly large forms of a few of them, such as the one wearing a large bucket sized helmet and another that had his hair sticking up in all directions with bells attached to the end.

"Freaks," another jounin muttered, his arms crossed as he sneered at the shinigami below.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Now, now. We are too." The jounin scowled at the silver head prodigy. Kakashi's eyes upturned into a smile as he waved a playful hand at the serious ninja beside him. "To an extent at least."

"Look at them Kakashi," the jounin scoffed, shaking his head. "That one there—" he nodded his head towards the one with the large helmet, "—is not human. Just look at his hands, if you could call them that."

"Hachiro," the silver head jounin warned. The other just chuckled and shook him off, turning to another ninja on his other side. Kakashi sighed, shaking his head. "Some people." His grin widened beneath his mask as he flipped out his precious orange book and parted the cover, his thumb keeping the pages apart as he began to read.

"We'll be starting soon, Kakashi," Asuma reminded.

Kakashi nodded absentmindedly.

Someone suddenly nudged him at the hip and he tipped slightly to one side, his eyes still trained on the writing on the white paper. "Kakashi, my rival! How are you this fine day?"

"Fine, fine."

Gai went silent, no doubt trying to keep his cool just like the calm silver head next to him. He then laughed, throwing an arm around Kakashi's shoulder. "Acting so casual, my rival! Business is afoot!" He sucked in a loud breath before pressing the side of his head against Kakashi's and pursing his lips to whisper. "There's something weird about them." The prodigy jounin continued reading, not even glancing from his book to take interest in what his fellow ninja was saying. "They could… match me in speed, maybe," Gai continued, not at all worried that his friend wasn't listening. He suddenly tossed his head back and guffawed. "Now wouldn't that be a treat?!" He slapped Kakashi's back, making the silver head stumble.

"Quiet," Kurenai hushed. "We're starting."

Kakashi peeked over his book. "Oh look, Danzo is here. When did he come in?"

Asuma leaned around the female jounin. "Maybe if you didn't have your nose glued to your book, you would have seen him come in. Who's the kid?"

"I was reaching the climax of the book and…" he placed his eye upon the pale boy standing behind Danzo. He shrugged. "…I don't know."

"Protection, probably."

"Shh!" Kurenai hissed, her red-tipped lips becoming full as she twisted them into a gentle snarl.

Kakashi sighed, closing his book. "Just when I was reaching the best bit."

* * *

"My, my, isn't this a turnout?" Ichimaru sarcastically noted, his head tilting as he veered his vision around the room, taking in the council that he had seen last visit and lingering a little more on the new addition of at least ten other adults standing behind said council members; he was particularly interested to see another silver head in the crowd leering down at an orange book in his hands. Almost like his constant smile, the man wore a mask, hinting at the concealment of other intentions, and the headband that all the ninja seemed to wear was placed diagonally across the man's left eye.

Besides the new additions, there was also a filled seat amongst the council members that was vacant last time as well. The spot was filled by a man with shaggy brown hair, bandages hiding half of his face as well, and a white robe-like piece of clothing that was draped over one shoulder. A little behind the ninja was a young boy; pale skin and a mop of straight black hair. His midriff was bare, pronouncing the black clothing he wore even more.

"Try to keep your humour to yourself," Aizen whispered as he strode passed, heading for his usual position in the line-up order.

Gin quietly chuckled. "You know I do."

A gavel sounded, echoing in the room and silencing all chatter from all corners. He was amused to see the Hokage—the blonde woman who had least had a mind—roll her eyes at the use of the 'quiet-now' tool and stretch in her seat; her assistant had a similar reaction.

"Let's begin," Koharu stated.

* * *

Minutes went on as introductions were thrown around. It was like nobody held any real respect for the titles that other people held on their shoulders, specifically the Captain title bestowed upon shinigami. Many of the council had put forth questions about what was included in the stature of a Captain but their request for information was shot down when a short shinigami—clearly having grown tired of toned down accusations—snapped back that the members had a long way to go.

That only caused more tension. The atmosphere was incredibly thick in the room, so thick that the sharpest blade wouldn't have been able to cut through it; so thick that it was choking.

"What we are proposing, Captain Yamamoto," Danzo spoke, his voice gravelly like the sound made when two slabs of rocks were ground together, "is an alliance between us, the ninja of Konoha, and you, the shinigami of Soul Society. I believe I speak for every ninja in this room, that this is the real reason why we're here."

The leader of the thirteen Captains raised his white eyes brow, his wrinkles growing more pronounced at the movement. His almost skeletal fingers, which rested over the golden bulb of his cane, readjusted themselves. "Indeed it is."

"Our argument is this," Koharu started. "Having this _tear_ being created in your world, and since these _hollows_," she looked pointedly at the third captain, "can only be destroyed by your abilities, we all believe that for both our benefits—yours and ours—that you train several of our ninja to protect us against any future attacks from the hollows."

The twelve Captains behind the elderly man looked to each other, anger already evident in their eyes at the argument that was made against them. They shuffled their feet slightly, expressing their discomfort, and some even glared vehemently back at council members that were also staring them down.

Yamamoto parted his lips, the white caterpillar below his nose lifted. "Your argument is valid but—"

"—but the fact that you speak accusingly against us, as though we _purposely_ created the tear between our worlds, makes us hesitant in accepting your proposal."

Every eye in the room turned to the short, white haired shinigami. His green eyes glared angrily back, solely narrowed on Koharu who visibly shuffled in her seat as though disturbed about the menacing glower placed on her. Her lips thinned and the small male's tanned skin crinkled on the bridge of his nose as his brow knitted together even more.

"Such disrespect," she hissed out, her mouth barely opening.

"Respect is _earned_… not given," Hitsugaya shook his head as though hinting she was a poor excuse for a human.

Koharu whitened. Tsunade tried to suppress a smile on her face as she gave a subtle nod in agreement to the tenth shinigami Captain. However, the action was seen. "Tsunade, perhaps you'd fit in better with the shinigami, considering you're constantly siding with them," Homura raised an eyebrow, though the minute gesture could hardly be noticed through the folds of his frown on his forehead.

She chuckled, resting an elbow on her desk and cupping her chin in her palm. Her eyes twinkled in amusement. "I cannot fight against what is right." He grunted in annoyance. "It cannot be helped if that little midget is wiser than some of the members of the ninja council in this room."

Hitsugaya twitched at the reference to his stature but his chance to snap back—that he was not a midget!—was never given as several members rose to their feet, shouting profanities at the laidback Hokage, who seemed to have erected a barrier at some point as none of the words fazed her.

* * *

Kakashi rolled his eyes at the back. "Fool," Kurenai whispered. "How can she so openly insult the council?"

Asuma took a swig of his cigarette, blowing out the smoke through his chapped lips. "I think part of it is because she's bored."

"Either that or she is attempting to get into the shinigami's graces," Kakashi added in, glancing at Gai who was unusually quiet and still so far; it scared the silver head a little.

"What?" Kurenai widened her eyes. "You mean she is lying?"

"No," the prodigy jounin shook his head. "I don't think so. The council is just feeding her the opportunities at the moment, as she does disagree with them, but sometime she may have to give a few little white lies."

"Let's hope it doesn't ruin our chances," Asuma shrugged, dropping his fag to the floor and stamping on it, grinding his heel into the tobacco.

* * *

"Enough," Danzo silenced the room and instantly it was quiet. Hitsugaya stepped back into line, though he still had his eyes on Koharu. "Is this true, Captain Yamamoto, that you hesitate to lend us a hand because of our accusations—which were unintended?" he lowered his head to the white head shinigami. Hitsugaya muttered something under his breath.

"Not exactly," Yamamoto admitted. "It is true that the underlying tone behind your argument has somewhat dampened our eagerness to help you, however, it is not the main reason at all."

"Then what is?" Tsunade asked, lacing her fingers.

"We do not know your bodies," was the curt reply. Whispers broke out. "Captain Kurotsuchi."

The twelfth Captain stepped forward, his black and white lips stretched wide to reveal his yellow teeth. He fiddled with his fingertips, excitement evident in his vocals as he breathed in and then out quickly. "We know the structure of the shinigami body, thereby what gives us the opportunity to use our abilities, but you ninja are an unknown." His grin widened even further, making a few of the council members uncomfortable; Kurenai, at the back, shifted her weight on her feet. His tone, his facial expression, everything about him suggested that the prospect of investigating a ninja was like finding a mountain of gold behind a rock.

No one looked as though they wanted to speak but eventually Tsunade did. "What would you need to know?"

The Captain's eyes dilated. "Oh, everything about you. We will have to know if our techniques can be compatible with yours; as well as additional information."

"For example?" Danzo asked.

"Just everything that makes you… work."

The room went quiet at the implication. It was as clear as daylight that he saw the ninja only as interesting subjects that needed to be examined for his curiosity to be quenched. Many council members doubted if he was doing it for the alliance and just for his own amusement.

Tsunade, again, was the first to speak up. "Would you need anything in particular?" She swallowed, her throat tight due to the topic.

"Perhaps, a test subject?"

Several council members leaned back in their seats, as though the obvious insanity about the shinigami was contagious.

"A… living… ninja, I assume?" the Hokage asked, raising an eyebrow, her lips thin.

"Yes."

"Could we perhaps have him, or her, _alive_… afterwards?"

The Captain's shoulders deflated slightly. "Of course. An alliance wouldn't be able to be made if they were not alive."

"Right."

"Lady Hokage, you do not seriously suggest handing a ninja over to him?" Homura growled, his face an interesting rusty shade of crimson.

"No. I don't." She set her honey eyes on the old man defiantly. "I intend to get a volunteer." Homura didn't appear too pleased as he scowled and looked away. "A jounin perhaps." Tsunade turned her vision to the back.

* * *

"So that's why we're here," Kakashi sighed, dropped his head into his chest and falling back against the wall behind him. "And I thought it was just to watch the show."

"I dunno," Kurenai bit her lip. "I don't think she realised that this would happen."

The silver head shrugged, not bothering to argue.

* * *

"Any takers?" She ran her eyes down the line of nervous jounin. They kept flicking their gaze to the twelfth Captain—who was positively ecstatic—and then back to their leader, obviously wondering if she was serious, or perhaps insane. "You'll survive." The implication of death sent a wave of shivers through half of the jounin.

Eventually, with the roll of the eyes, a certain silver head ninja stepped forward casually, his hands remained buried in the deep pockets of his navy blue pants. With a sigh, he shrugged and held up a hand. "I guess, I volunteer." Kurenai, Asuma and Gai went rigid, their eyes veering to the relaxed jounin.

Suddenly, the tai-jutsu master placed a hand on his rival's shoulder and laughed. "Ho-ho, Kakashi! Trying to outdo me are you? Trying to be the brave one, are we?" Gai chuckled again, patting his shoulder and taking in a deep breath. "Sign me up!" His teeth sparkled as he grinned.

Kakashi dropped his head, shaking it ruefully—behind him, Kurenai and Asuma exchanged amused glances.

Tsunade nodded, a satisfied twitch in her lips. "Will that be all, Captain Yamamoto and Kurotsuchi? If you are in need of something else to help you with your research, just inquire to me." The two made gestures of agreement. "If I may suggest… how 'bout we get a few of our scientists to hasten the process?" she asked as she leaned on her palm again.

"I agree," said Koharu. "That way you can actually _ask_ some of our ninja, instead of resorting to your own results."

Kurotsuchi chuckled eerily, making the hair on every council member's body to stand up. "Science is always right," he responded through bared teeth, his lips pulled back to the fullest.

Koharu gritted her teeth. "Are you suggesting that our science team is incapable of giving you genuine information?" The Captain didn't answer, just tilted his head back to eye the elderly lady properly before he rejoined the ranks.

Yamamoto coughed, catching attention. "Thankyou for your participation. During the research period, however, several of our Captains will be returning to Soul Society to perform other jobs, but—" he added hastily after seeing several council members open their mouths to retort. "—I guarantee that they will return in time for the final meeting discussing this topic; results will be given at this time as well. Do we have an accord?"

The room was filled with a bitter silence, so much so that it felt like acid against Tsunade's skin. Eventually, after casting a 'got-any-complaints' look to every ninja, she nodded.

* * *

Sakura's stomach growled.

"Urgh," she grumbled as she patted her abdomen, feeling the hollow echo against her hand. She then sighed and continued walking, intent on finding Naruto and taking him up on his offer for a dinner that she hadn't accepted since… since _he_ left.

She cursed to herself at the remembrance of the Uchiha and hurriedly rethought what had been discussed in the meeting that every ninja in the village had to attend several hours back; the meeting had ended barely ten minutes ago. It had been four days since she had seen these shinigami arrive—and Sakura thought it was ridiculous that it took that long for the council to decide that it would be beneficial for every ninja to know about it—and curiosity fluttered inside her whenever she remembered them. The others of her age group whole-heartedly agreed, though many of them where glaring at the present shinigami like they were intending to burn a hole through their skulls—she edged away from Kiba at the start and remained that way for the rest of the night. Truthfully, it was only Kiba, Neji and Shikamaru that seemed to be the most hostile towards the shinigami—and Shino to an extent—but the others were not.

Tsunade had glossed over what they knew—which she stated was very little—before letting the shinigami speak. They had introduced themselves—there were four: Gin Ichimaru (Kiba snarled), Soi Fon; Yamamoto (he was the leader) and Sosuke Aizen; there was a fifth and a sixth but they were working on some information that the council had wanted—and explained a little more about what the job of a shinigami was and the tactics, such as Kido. To be fair, Tsunade had Iruka and a few other teachers explain similar basics of ninja fighting—the shinigami looked interested.

After that, and while she was relieved that everything was explained, Sakura was tired and she had a headache. Ino's incessant rambles about how Aizen and Ichimaru—as well as the unknown man she had bumped into before—had looked had given the pinkette a sore ear by the time she was able to tear herself away from the blonde.

Now alone, and hungry, Sakura swerved onto the main street where all the restaurants and stores were. She made a bee-line for Ichiraku Ramen and was thankful to see that Naruto was there. "Hey, Naruto!"

He whipped around, sending an array of noodles from his ramen bowl and over the ground as his blue eyes lit up with excitement. Juice dribbled down his chin as he replied, through a full mouth, "Mhh, Mauha!" She sighed in exasperation as she slid in the seat beside him, flicking away some of the noodle on the bench top.

"Hey, Naruto," Kiba and Shino suddenly appeared. "There's this new really popular thing in Konoha." The blonde looked excited once more. "It's called 'Swallowing your food before you talk'" He then gave the hyperactive boy a hard pat on the back, causing Naruto to knock over his ramen bowl and choke on his food.

"Or 'chopsticks,'" Shino muttered absentmindedly.

Sakura, with all her willpower, tried not to laugh. Kiba sidled in on the other side of Shino, who had taken his place beside the pinkette and was staring at his fingers. She nudged him on the shoulder. "How are you two going?"

Shino remained silent but Kiba replied, leaning back to look over his teammates bent posture. "We've been better. It's… hard… to go back to our usual training spot now, and Kurenai is having a little trouble as well. She feels like she failed Hinata."

"How?" she frowned.

Kiba shrugged. "Something to do with the clan."

"And how are the clan handling it?"

"The loss of an heiress is tragic but we all got the feeling that her father was not all that particularly pleased with her level of ability," Shino replied instead, muttering what he wanted to order for his meal right after he spoke. "We've seen him a few times since she died, and his appearance suggested that he's trying not to show how he felt about losing a daughter."

Sakura blinked. "What do you mean?"

"He's upset as well, Sakura, but the leader of the clan normally has to present a strong image." Shino glanced at her passed his sunglasses; she saw his eyelashes twitch. "You wouldn't understand. You're not from a clan."

She frowned as she turned away, quickly ordering her meal and then helping Naruto clean up his mess; she offered to pay for another bowl. Waiting for her meal, the pinkette shifted towards the Team 8 members once more. "What do you think about the shinigami?" Naruto perked up at the topic.

Kiba growled. "I hate them."

"What?!" the blonde yelled. "They're awesome! They saved our asses and they've got super killer moves!" The Inuzuka rolled his eyes as Sakura tried to hush her friend down.

"No reason to trust them, Naruto," Shino stated; Naruto attempted to peer into the Aburame's eyes but the tries were fruitless. "The fact that they can destroy hollows while we cannot, is bad enough."

"Maybe they'll teach us!"

Kiba snorted. "I doubt it. They don't seem like the type of give out secrets to just anybody."

"Neither would we," Sakura interjected.

"Then why is the council and the Hokage so hung up on keeping them around? And what's this information that they want anyway?"

She flipped her fringe out of her face. "They're trying to make an alliance. Simple as that."

Kiba groaned and shook his head, running a hand through his brown mane. "I don't want an alliance with them."

Naruto blinked in confusion. "Why not?"

"Because I don't like them!"

"No. You just don't like Gin Ichimaru," Shino finally spoke; Sakura felt herself relax as soon as she heard his voice—she didn't particularly feel like have a word spat with Kiba. Speaking of which, said boy snarled at the mention of the shinigami and turned in his seat, scowling. "Don't let him get to you. It's obvious he enjoys tormenting people."

"What? Dog-boy got told by a shinigami?!" Naruto laughed, throwing his head back.

"Naruto!" Sakura punched him on the shoulder and he yelped in pain, rubbing the skin with care.

Kiba's mood was dissolving into anger in mere seconds but he didn't react. Shino stared pointedly at the blonde. "Kiba's honour was ruined, Naruto, and Ichimaru was the one that destroyed it."

"Don't say it like that; you make it sound like I don't have any left," Kiba muttered.

"Well, do you?"

The Inuzuka straightened, swinging around in his seat and facing the conversation once more. "I'll prove I've got more honour than him! I'll do anything to beat the dick!" he spoke with passion, brandishing a fist in his friend's face.

"Good, you can start with your anger."

Naruto muffled a snort and Kiba scowled at him. "That'll be the day!" Tthe blonde then cracked out, tilting back on his seat. The Inuzuka was suddenly behind him, rubbing his knuckles into the skull of the hyperactive boy.

"What about you getting a brain?"

"Ow! Ow! Owowowowow!"

Sakura, ignoring the turmoil beside her, turned curiously to Shino, a finger to her lips in thought. "Maybe he could go see Ibiki."

The Aburame raised an eyebrow for a split second. "Ibiki. He specialises in…" Sakura nodded.

"If this…" she shrugged, "Ichimaru guy had played with Kiba, maybe its only fitting for—"

"—him to get a taste of his own medicine!" Kiba finished off, punching the air in excitement before grabbing the pinkette by the shoulders and kissing her cheek. "You're a genius, Sakura!" He slid onto his stool beside Shino, eyes wide with anticipation.

Sakura, for that moment, looked gobsmacked—as did Naruto, who was still patting at his hair—and she eventually blinked before stuttering out, "No problem."

It was clear that Shino was trying not to smile. "The only problem with that Kiba, is that you do not have the patience to inflict damage to a persons mind in the way Ibiki does it."

The canine-lover pouted. "Damn it. I wanna mind screw him."

"Choice of words, Kiba," his friend warned.

The Inuzuka waved him off. He dropped his chin into his cupped hand and gazed mournfully to the ceiling, as if daydreaming the day he defeated Gin Ichimaru. "I really liked that idea," he said wistfully.

"Hey, do you think they're planning to ask the shinigami to train some of us?" Sakura piped up on the spot, tapping her fingertips on the bench.

"If they do, I'm gonna sign up!" Naruto cheered, sprouting from his seat and giving peace signs to everyone in the store; Sakura shook her head.

"I believe that they would be getting well-trained shinobi to complete the task—" Naruto deflated, "—but I agree that that is what the council is planning," Shino concurred, eyeing the steaming sauce in the bowl in front of him; dinner was almost ready.

"Yeah, but," Kiba started, "if they asked for volunteers to be trained… would you accept?"

Shino paused, contemplating. "It would depend on the consequences."

"Ah ha!" Sakura shouted, making Kiba, Naruto, and, to an extent, Shino, jump in their seats—the latter merely twitched, really.

"What? What is it?" Naruto mumbled, climbing back onto his stool.

Excited by her discovery, Sakura dropped a fist into her palm, grinning widely. "That's why the shinigami are still here and that's the information that Tsunade had mentioned they were trying to get: whether or not we can be trained."

Naruto and Kiba blinked, while Shino merely nodded. "Seems logical. But why would they need to research it? How are we different from them?"

"They're dead," the two rambunctious boys stated at the same time. Shino had no response.

* * *

Ino thrummed her nails on the glass counter, rolling her eyes in boredom as she tugged at the straps over her apron with her free hand. Adding a dramatic sigh, she groaned and lowered her lids, her eyes aching from the lack of sleep. She was as tired as heck but for some reason, rest was difficult to come by. Whether it was the constant worry for Shikamaru, Chouji beginning to eat more than usual—if that were possible—or something else, she didn't know; whatever it was, she wished that it would stop nagging at her.

The soft jingle of the door bell was like music to her ears—pun intended—and she whirled around with a smile. "Good morning! Welcome to Yamanaka Flower Shop! How can I help you today?" Her cheerful face slightly dropped when she realised who it was. There were two shinigami staring at her, their builds filling the small store quite easily. Their gaze on her made her fidget and she shuffled on her feet before grinning again. "How do you do?" She felt like gagging; her voice sounded so fake.

Aizen approached a flower rack near to the counter and she watched him closely. "You work this shop all by yourself?" His fingers played with the small purple petals of some tall flowers, his voice smooth as he spoke.

Ino shook her head, feeling her hair raise on her arms. Ichimaru began searching on the opposite side of the store, leaning in close to the centre of some plants and sniffing them delicately. "No, I—" Gin coughed suddenly and she eyed him in amusement, "—I don't. I have my parents as well."

"Interesting."

She crossed her arms and leaned on the counter once more, curiosity embedded in her blue eyes as she scanned the brunette shinigami up and down quickly before settling on his stern but comforting face. "Did you know that flowers have a language?" He turned to her and she instantly felt her knees began to wobble when she found herself staring solely into his warm brown eyes. _Hook, line and sinker,_ she mused breathlessly to herself.

"Really?" Ichimaru piped up; Ino switched her attention to him. He was currently holding the cut stem of a bundle of purple flowers, the petals drooping towards the floor. "What's dis?"

"'Welcome!'" Ino beamed, giggling. "It's a wisteria." She turned to Aizen, pointing a manicured nail at the flowers he was taking a look at before. "Those are monkshood." She attempted not to look him in the eyes, instead levelling her gaze at his chin. "They mean 'beware' or 'a deadly foe is near'."

The brunette fondled with the purple petals once more, thoughts swimming behind his eyes; thoughts that she so wanted to know. "How interesting. Why would you have flowers that mean such negative things?"

Ino shrugged, finding it difficult, for some reason, to find her voice. "I don't know. Some people just pick the flowers for its appearance."

"I see. Which one is to your liking?"

"The cosmos." Her response was curt. Her fingers instantly the hem of her apron as Aizen focused his brown eyes on her; the knowledge that he was looking at her was so crushing that she couldn't breathe. Ichimaru suddenly appeared beside her, his silver hair shadowing his eyes as he stared down at her. Ino took a step back, feeling a chill race down her spine. His grin, broad and eerie, made her skin crawl.

"Why?"

Ino took a moment to regain her posture; she straightened her back and furrowed her brow, curling her fingers into her palm. "I just do, now would you please return to the other side of the counter."

Ichimaru paused before moving his way back, his robes—apparently the white piece of clothing was called a haori—rustled as he walked. Aizen shook his head, approaching the glass counter next. "Please accept my apologies for his behaviour." Ino felt herself begin to blush at his noble manners.

"Oh, um… it's-it's alright." She giggled and scratched the back of her head. "I hope you enjoy your stay here in Konoha."

Aizen nodded. "I thankyou. Not every ninja around these parts seem as forgiving and kind as you." His smile widened when Ino's face turned red.

"Uhh…" Gin chuckled in the background, his hand resting on the handle for the door. His grin unnerved her as she glanced in his direction, so she hastily stared at her fingers that were currently twirling—when that started, she didn't know. "Th-thankyou, um… Captain Aizen."

"You're more than welcome." He gave a courteous bow to the blonde. Her mind went blank and all she managed to register was the jingle of the door bell as the two shinigami left. She sighed, running her hand over her face in exasperation.

"Get a grip, Ino. He's way too old for you." She began messing around with some decoration paper and ribbons and somehow tied a bow around one of her fingers. She groaned and dropped her hands onto the counter. "Geez." As she tore at the orange ribbon around her digits, her eyes wandered over to the monkshood and she recalled the thoughtful look in his gaze after she had informed him of the meaning. She sucked on the inside of her cheek in contemplation, resting a palm on the counter and cocking a hip to the side. "Hmm."

* * *

"So, Kakashi," Asuma chuckled, eyeing the other jounin's face carefully. "How are the experiments going?"

The silver head quietly groaned, waving at the smoker beside him and collapsing onto the booth opposite him. He plonked his head on the table, his only visible eye looking out the window that overlooked the main street. Asuma merely laughed again, snubbing his smoke in the tray.

"Ya know, my team will be coming soon. Barbecue day."

Kakashi groaned again.

"Wow. Now I'm curious."

"That shinigami is quite… interesting," he replied at last, his tone like a drawl. "To say the least. His enthusiasm for science rivals that of Gai's for youth."

"Impressive." Asuma whistled.

"It's a headache."

"So, what are you two actually doing in there? Heard that another shinigami is in there as well."

"Yeah." Kakashi lifted his head, scratching his scalp and ruffling lopsided hair. "Her name is Nemu. Very close to Kurotsuchi; there's some obvious connection between them." Asuma raised an eyebrow in response. "Not like that. Something else." He yawned, leaning back into the booth. "I made a mistake by volunteering."

"How so?"

"Kurotsuchi found out about the Sharingan."

Asumm began choking on his spit as he gripped the edge of the table tightly. "You're kidding."

"Do I look it?"

"No."

"Exactly. So, he's asking questions about that and… you'll never believe this."

"Humour me."

Kakashi sighed, stretching his arms and leaning forward once more, resting his elbows on the table. "For both our benefits, the council is foolishly letting the shinigami take a look at how bloodline traits would go if chosen for training."

Asuma shook his head in despair, raking his fingers through his fringe and beard. "They've gone insane. What did the Hokage have to say about it?"

The silver head shrugged. "Outvoted by a landslide. Those shinigami all seem to be sweet talkers; especially that Captain from the fifth squad; Aizen."

"No argument there. He had visited Kurenai's team and the Hyuuga clan two days ago, expressing his apology for the death of Hinata."

"Did he not do the same for others?"

"For Shikamaru as well. The genius ignored him. Just stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked off with an oath."

"Oath?"

"That's right." Asuma laughed, sliding out a smoke from the packet and lighting it. "Considering all the time you and Gai have spent indoors recently, you wouldn't have heard."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "Heard what?"

"Several of our students have made oaths against the shinigami, claiming undying hate for them."

"A bit dramatic."

Asuma shook his mane, taking a puff from his fag. "Shikamaru, Neji and Kiba… those three in particular."

"The Hyuuga?" He raised his eyebrows in surprise. The other jounin nodded in affirmation.

"They're all just a little confused. I have a feeling that they just wanted someone to blame and who better than the people who saved them?"

"What about the others?"

He waved a hand in half dismissal. "They're more or less fine."

"Sensei!" The two jounin looked up to see the rest of Team 10 approaching them from the entrance. Chouji had instantly slid into the seat beside Asuma, while Ino and Shikamaru remained standing, the latter eyeing Kakashi in question.

"So you're finally out of their grasp?" he stated monotonously, his lips thin.

"Huh?" Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "Oh. Not really. I'm still a lab rat. Speaking of which, I gotta go." He sidled out. "Here's your seat back."

Shikamaru watched the silver heads back as the jounin left the barbecue restaurant and strolled down the street casually. His eyes narrowed.

* * *

Tenten breathed out heavily, eyes focused on the target and the weapon she had just thrown. It was off centre just a little but she wasn't overly worried as she had been training for the passed three hours. Despite Gai not being able to be there for their training sessions, the team were still obligated to continue by themselves.

Taking in a deep collection of air, her chest expanding simultaneously, Tenten released it in a gush. Her fingers were burning slightly from the extended contact and rubbing with metal and leather, and the sensation returned as she pull several kunai and shuriken from her holster and slid into her stance.

She disappeared, suddenly in the air, and with a quick twirl, she released all her weapons onto the targets surrounding her. She fell back to the lush grass, feeling satisfied with the sharp thuds as the points of her blades dug into the targets. Scoping her attempt, she beamed once she saw that she nailed it.

"Hmm. Not bad."

The weapons mistress started, whirling around, instantly taking in the short feminine figure standing arrogantly atop the branch overshadowing the training area. She recognised the black robes, the white haori and the short blue hair and long plaits at once.

It was Soi Fon; the shinigami Captain.

She materialised before Tenten, her eyes narrowed as she surveyed the multitude of weapons poking out from each of the targets. She set her contemplating gaze on the ninja. "I take it you excel in blades." It wasn't a question. Tenten nodded slowly, swallowing to moisten her parched throat; her whole body was aching from the exercise. Soi Fon looked around again before smiling. "Not bad at all."

Tenten grinned.

* * *

The month had gone by way too fast, Tsunade had decided. It felt like just yesterday she was condemning Kakashi and Gai to some whacky experiments—which they had successfully survived with all their human pieces—and so the imminent meeting, of the one she was heading to right now, was incredibly daunting. This meeting would decide what would happen with the alliance between ninja and shinigami; she was getting nerves. Tsunade never felt anxious; unless she knew something wrong was going to happen. And she just knew something was. After all, she was winning her gambles for the passed two days—earning her loads of cash and respect from Aizen and Ichimaru who had accepted her proposal for a poker game—and often winning such things meant something bad was going to happen. Just, when?

She knew, though. She knew as she hurried through the halls, her heels clicking on the tiles, that today, something was going to happen and it was not going to be good.

The doors within sight, she sucked in a breath—casting a glance to Shizune at the same time—and pushed the double doors open.

* * *

"Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Have you finished your research?" Koharu asked, tilting her head a little towards him as he stepped forward, a stapled stack of papers in his hand. "I trust that our scientists and ninja were adequate?" He made no comment about it, just beamed excitedly.

Tsunade waved a hand at him as she spoke. "Please, begin."

"A month is hardly enough time to research everything there is to know about you—"

"—you should be glad we gave you permission to even experiment on our own jounin," Homura hissed.

Kurotsuchi continued, acting like he hadn't heard the snide comment. "—enough information has been gathered regarding the topic of 'shinigami training ninja.' In short, it is possible for a ninja to learn shinigami abilities, however…" it looked as though several council members had wanted to shoot up in excitement at the knowledge but they remained stiff in their seats, obviously intimidated by the scientist. "…there are quite a few consequences.

"We have gathered that the ninja body possesses a network of chakra that allows them to complete your jutsus. Shinigami has a different sort of energy, Reiryoku. At first, since they're both completely different energies, it was hypothesised that a ninja could not obtain shinigami abilities but this proved false. There is a method.

"Delving into the matter of chakra, our scientists have located thin strands, _hints_, of Reiryoku."

"Does that mean that it is possible?" Koharu put forth.

"Oh, there's a lot more to it. As I said, there are consequences." She paled, along with Homura and a few other members of the council. "This base of Reiryoku would help a ninja to gain our abilities; however, the consequences are these…"

* * *

_Mwhahaha! The dreaded cliffhanger! _

_Anyway, I need to say something. Are any of you exceptionally keen on knowing the pairings? Because, well, some news about that. _

_It's so confusing. I've had several pairings picked out in my mind but when I rethink the plot and scenes for this story, those pairings change, flicking to another and back, or perhaps there is some development between a pairing or something. It's difficult to explain but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't know what the pairings are going to be. You're in the dark as much as I am. I'll have to keep writing and let the story choose its own pairings, if you know what I mean. I'm so sorry if you had wanted to know what they were. _

_The ones I had originally chosen were Byakuya x Sakura and Ukitake x Ino (btw, I have a picture of this pairing in my DA account; link is in profile), just in case you wanted to know; they still might feature however. Apologies again. :(_

_Anyway, I hope you will still stick around nonetheless; no matter your reason for reading this story. Oh yes, I appreciate it so much that you're enjoying this; makes me happy. :D_

_A few last things._

_**One:**__ I purposely skipped the month - having only included a few encounters - between the meetings, as I felt as though I should get a wriggle on. _

_**Two:**__ I have a poll in my profile, asking something like __**Which BLExNAR oneshot pairing should I write next?**__ So look it up in your spare time and vote please. Thankyou. _

_**Three:** Question: I have written Reiryoku throughout this chapter but the whole energy thing with shinigami confuses me, even after I have looked up the differences. Am I using the wrong term? Please inform me. _

_**Four:** Updates may be longer due to me being in my last year of High School. So... busy busy busy.  
_

_Apologies for the long AN and please review and give feedback about anything!_


	6. Studying

FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM  
**~6~**  
"Studying"

* * *

Sakura twisted her body to the side, moving her hip out as she dodged a fast punch from Naruto, his orange sleeve and blonde hair the only things she saw before she countered, thrusting a clenched hand into his side. She gritted her teeth in annoyance as the figure of her teammate disappeared in a cloud of smoke, causing her vision to be foggy as she searched from right to left, hoping to catch sight of him. She jumped out of the smoke and onto the clear grassy area, scanning quickly once more.

Naruto attacked again from the side. Sakura dropped to the ground as he leapt into the air, and she placed a quick round-house kick to his gut; once again, he disappeared into smoke. _Cut it out, Naruto!_

As soon as she thought this, her jumpsuit-clad teammate appeared all around her, trapping her in a circle of orange and yellow. "Watch out, Sakura!" the seven clones called out as they sprung forward, their fists raised, ready to attack her.

She blocked, stopping the one in front with her palm before she twisted and lowered, avoiding the attacks as they grazed over her head. She threw the captured Naruto into the ones before her and three of them disappeared simultaneously. Quickly, without hesitating, she swept her leg across the grass, her shin making in contact with a few of the clones; on contact they disappeared.

Sakura was suddenly flown across the field, thanks to a direct punch by the real Naruto. She winced as she moved her limbs and tensed her stomach, the skin on her cheek tender from the hit. Slowly, she rose to her feet, wiping the blood from her lips and curling her fingers into her palm. This was it.

The two teammates ran towards each other, kunai flipping out and darting towards them and they both deflected the weapons with ease. As soon as they were about to make full frontal contact, a puff of smoke appeared in between them.

Kakashi's spiky, anti-gravity hair was revealed slowly before the rest of his form, the familiar orange book held in his hand—his eyes darted across the page.

"Why'd you stop us, Kakashi-sensei?!" Naruto reprimanded, stamping his sore feet on the ground and huffing; Sakura, honestly, wasn't complaining.

"Hmmm?" Their teacher eyed the both of them, mock confusion in his eyes as he surveyed their grimy faces. "Oh. Why?"

"I asked you first!" Naruto shoved a finger into Kakashi's face.

The jounin blinked, lowering Naruto's hand from his personal bubble as he put his book away into his pocket. Sakura was curious now. Why did he do that? He could have easily taken the both of them on if that was why he was there: to help train them. She watched with interest as her teacher's eyes closed and then opened to a narrow.

"You can come out now."

"Huh?" the students asked at the same time,

"Impressive. You ninja are quite observant," a familiar, slippery voice echoed from within the trees. In seconds, a white and black blur appeared before them and the memorable wide smile and silver hair made him known.

"Gin Ichimaru," Kakashi stated, fingers twitching.

The shinigami eyed Naruto and Sakura—the latter shivering under his squinted gaze—before shifting to the jounin. He raised an arm in greeting. "Bingo."

"What business do you have in this field?"

He merely shrugged. "So I need a reason for watching developing ninja spar?" He chuckled, the atmosphere thickening with every word he spoke. "You know why I'm here." His lips stretched a little more. Kakashi's hands turned into fists. "But, since I'm caught, and I am bored…" he breathed in, "how 'bout a round, Hatake?"

Naruto looked positively ecstatic at the mention of a spar between his sensei and a shinigami, while Sakura just raised an eyebrow, her top lip lifting. "Eh?"

Gin patted her head, chuckling—Kakashi stiffened, as did Sakura but for a different reason. "Please! Oh, please! Pleasepleaseplease!" Naruto begged loudly, his hands folded and his eyes closed as he jiggled up and down.

"Naruto," Kakashi sighed, though a warning was beneath his tone, something that the blonde did not notice.

"Oh, come on, Kakashi-sensei!" His eyes sparkled brightly up at one of his idols.

Sakura groaned in embarrassment before giving in to her thoughts. "It would give us the opportunity to study a shinigami's tactics," she suggested with a smile; she gave Gin a flicker of a look.

Kakashi stared at Ichimaru for a moment, his lids shading over his eyes, emphasising the bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep due to the experiments that had ended four days ago. He fiddled with his glove a little, testing how firm it was in his hand. "Fine."

"Yay!" Naruto tossed his hands in the air, jumping up and down and from side to side as he latched onto Sakura's elbow and yanked her to safety.

Gin nodded in satisfaction, turning around—his haori shifting with him—and walking to the other side of the clearing; Sakura, for the briefest of moments had seen his eyes lock onto hers and his smile widen. She shivered as the two adults slid into their stance, Naruto and her standing at the sidelines in the middle, waiting eagerly for the spar to begin.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ino was ending her shift at her parents shop, pinning up her pink, frilly upon on the hook by the door that led upstairs. "My shift's over, Mama!" she called out. "I'm going out!"

"Fine, honey. Have fun."

"Yep. I will. Is Dad taking over?"

"Yes! When he gets back from his outing with Chouza." She mumbled something incoherently afterwards, no doubt directed to her husbands drinking habits with his buddy. Ino giggled.

"Going now!" She waved a hand at the door as she turned, a smile on her face as she adjusted her purse strap with her free hand.

"Miss Yamanaka."

"Eeek!" Ino squeaked, blue eyes widening at the sudden person before her. Her heart pounded hard against her chest and she breathed out slowly, trying to calm it down. She sighed, a hint of relieved laughter in her voice. "Captain Aizen. You-you scared me." She swallowed.

The brunette shinigami smiled politely. "My apologies."

She waved a hand at him, taking in a breath again. "No, no. It's alright. Normally I have the door bell as warning."

He glanced over his shoulder to the tiny golden bell above the door before returning his brown eyes back to the blonde who was now breathing normally, a crooked smile on her face. "It did go off."

"It did?" she perked an eyebrow, moving passed the shinigami and lifting herself onto her tippy toes to inspect the bell. "Well, it's not broken," she mumbled. She lowered herself back down. "It's ok. It doesn't matter. If you're looking for some service, I just finished my shift and while I am here, could you wait until—" she cut herself short, blinking. Chuckling awkwardly, she smiled at him. "Ya know, how 'bout I help you before I go out?"

Aizen laughed at her quick change of attitude; her cheeks tinted red. "No, it's actually something else I need your help with."

"Huh?" Her jaw dropped at his sentence and she shook her head quickly, trying to regain her senses. "I mean, come again?"

He chuckled. "I was wondering if I could take you to particular place and ask some questions."

Ino took a smidgen of a step back at his offer. And what place did he mean? Most of all, what questions did he want to ask her of all people? She cocked a eyebrow, thin fingers on her left hand twirling the strap of her purse, on her right shoulder, around the tip. "What questions?"

He smiled politely, walking passed her and opening the door. She made quick note of the bell ringing and felt a certain dark feeling bloom inside of her as she realised that it did indeed work and that she was positive she hadn't heard it sound before. Attractive, yes, but this man… was still too damn charming; there were hardly any in Konoha, so, in her case, it was like a breath of fresh air.

The door held open for her, Aizen merely responded with a, "You'll see."

In that case, she had no choice.

* * *

She was mesmerised.

He moved flawlessly and confidently in the spar, the smile on his face never wavering. And she had felt something—a feeling—swell up inside of her as she watched him closely; watched how he moved, how he dodged, how he attacked. It was like an improvised dance that left her breathless.

Wide green eyes continued to watch him as he avoided an attack from Kakashi by flipping to the side, the fluttering ends of his robes shivering as the force of the fireball shot passed him, leaving behind a circular black patch where he was. He turned, eyed the spot, a slight frown on his brow, before his smile returned. "Dat was new," he remarked, firmly replacing his hold on his katana.

Sakura was entranced by his blade as well. He moved like they were one—which they were—so easily and so simply that the pinkette thought it would be a cinch to master the technique. She knew, once she had regained her right mind, that it definitely wouldn't.

"You haven't seen anything just yet," Kakashi retorted; his headband was still placed diagonally across his eye.

"Hmmm. So yer plan to finally resort to something else 'stead of hand-to-hand, do yer?"

The jounin straightened, flexing his fingers. "Until the end of this spar… yes."

Ichimaru shrugged. "Dunno when dat will be. I wanna see what's behind dat headband of yers."

Kakashi smoothly slid back into a stance, his arms ready for hand signs. "You haven't earned that privilege just yet."

"Nah. 'paps not." He began pacing. "The Twelfth Captain has told us a bit though, about what yer hiding." Kakashi stiffened; Gin laughed humourlessly. "Bloodlines, eh? Kekkei genkai's is wha der called, yeah?"

The jounin's silver eyebrows knitted dangerously, his muscles taut in his legs and arms. "I should have known that any information would have been passed on to the rest of you."

"Yeah, yer should'ave but, as yer know, dat isn't der only reason I'm here." He stretched playfully, sending a glance to the two genin who were watching and listening in on the conversation with close senses, attempting to pick up on any subtle hints.

"Enough. Let's spar." Kakashi's hands blurred as he performed some signatures for a jutsu, and at the same time, Ichimaru prepared himself, waiting for whatever the ninja was planning to do. Seconds later and multiple figures of the jounin appeared in a loud puff of smoke, side by side.

"Well, now. Isn't dat interesting," Gin chuckled. "Clones."

"You obviously haven't seen the true extent of the powers of shinobi."

"Oh? Do enlighten me."

The two silver-heads leapt for each other.

* * *

"That's right, Lee!"

"I've got it! I've got it!"

"Keep at it!"

Tenten and Neji sighed, the latter more inconspicuously than his teammate. Ever since the attack—so around a little more then a month ago—he had been a slightly different person, perhaps the same person as he was before the Chuunin Exams, except a little more passionate—much to Tenten's' chagrin. It wasn't the type of passionate that Lee and Gai was into—and she cast the two green beasts a mortified look as they hugged each other like they usually did—instead the passion was more of an emotion than anything else.

Hinata's death had hit him harder than she thought and he had grown to be more expressive about his anger towards who he blamed—the shinigami. Tenten had asked why several times but Neji had never given her a proper response, as though he was trying to figure out the answer to that question himself.

She wasn't opposed to the shinigami; in fact, she found that she was getting gradually used to their presence, particularly Soi Fon who had been studying her skills in weaponry very closely, even giving some very small hints every now and then. Her thoughts suddenly returned back to Neji's out of character hate towards the shinigami.

Tenten groaned quietly—the Hyuuga had given her a look—and she pivoted towards him, hands on her hips and her brown eyes narrowed; she changed the emotion in her eyes to a somewhat warmer one, as though showing him that she wasn't intending to be scolding him. "I'm tired of this, Neji." He remained mute, staring at the two tai-jutsu users. "Stop it. Why don't you like them? Just talk to—"

"—I just don't… Tenten," he interrupted bitingly, his jaw rotating as he ground his teeth together. "I wouldn't expect you to understand."

The weapon's mistress twisted the ends of her lips into a snarl. "What? So just because I'm not apart of a stupid clan, it automatically means that—"

"—watch it, Tenten."

"Stop interrupting me!" she yelled, her body shuddering at the sudden burst of emotion in her words and flooding irritation in her bulk. Neji's eyes narrowed, his lips thinning. "As I recall, you didn't even give a damn about her—"

"—Tenten—"

"—before the Chuunin Exams," she continued, ignoring his hostile expression. "And now, suddenly, after two/three months, you act as though she was someone you had held close for years!"

"Tenten," he warned again.

"No." She grabbed her head in frustration, fingers weaving through her brown fringe. "I realise that she was your cousin, Neji, but never have I seen you act like this about _anything_." His hands were clutching his opposite arms so tightly that his knuckles were going white, and his face had turned a pale tint as well. Tenten dropped her arms to her side; they felt like weights. "Why… do you hate the shinigami so much?" She paused. "It can't only be because Hinata was killed when—"

"—enough." His tone was finalising and the female brunette shut her lips obediently, her face muscles taut and eyes shimmering. He opened his mouth but then shut it, breathing out slowly, his nostrils flaring. He tilted his head to the side, his orbs filled with anger. "I. Just. Do. Okay? I—" he looked away, lightly sucking on the inside of his cheek. "You wouldn't understand."

Tenten huffed. "Try me."

They locked eyes. "Well, I think it's 'cause he's embarrassed that complete strangers had defeated what he could not."

The team twirled to the source of the new voice. Soi Fon was there, standing on the branch of a tree like Tenten had seen her arrive many times before already. The shinigami smirked, jumping to the clearing and eying Gai and Lee with a confused expression before putting her hands on her hips.

"Why are you here?" Neji hissed, fists clenched.

"Free town; for us shinigami at least. Your council has been rather hospitable."

"So it's true that you're here for obvious other means."

"Of course. Although it's clearly not obvious if you had to solidify it."

Neji scowled. "Leave."

"Temper is in check. One of those committed ninja, I see."

"Are you?" he snapped back.

"Me?" Soi Fon chuckled. "You probably won't get the opportunity to see just how committed I am to being a shinigami Captain." She shrugged, her plaits bouncing against her back. "Then again, the others may see some potential in you."

"Potential?" Tenten asked.

Soi Fon bit her bottom lip in a thinking manner. "I'm sure you'll all be notified."

"I. Have. Potential," Neji interrupted, his lips twisted into a deadly snarl directed towards the shinigami.

She nodded, lifting her shoulders before dropping them. "As a ninja, perhaps." She beamed at their confused expressions—Lee's and Gai's ecstatic ones as well—before she blurred into the air, leaving behind no hint of her former presence.

"So the council does plan to train ninja in shinigami ways," Neji mused, body taut but then loosening smoothly as his expression relaxed a little. He turned to Tenten, a slight smile on his lips—of excitement or something else? "I'm in."

* * *

"Camellia: Good luck gift for a man. Honeysuckle: Happiness. Yellow Hyacinth: Jealousy. Magnolia: Nobility."

"That one?"

Ino peered over Aizen's outstretched arm to see the bunch of flowers in the semi-distance, the light breeze playing with the petals and leaves. "Oleander: Caution." She had been studying this shinigami for the last twenty minutes; looking at his facial expressions, body language or anything else about him that would prove to satiate her curiousness for him. What this curiosity for him entailed, she had no idea, though… he was an attractive man… but somehow, she felt there was something more to it than just… him... being nice looking—the thought still made her blush.

So far her studying proved fruitless for any other hidden means. He was, through and through, a charming, aristocratic man that had a special way with words—and she meant a _very_ special way with words. He was calm, collected, and curious with what she knew and what flowers meant; genuinely curious she liked to think, since Ino hadn't met anybody who had given her no choice but to give them a lesson on the language of plants. It was nice, refreshing, and his company was rather warm and light-hearted.

"Where is this cosmos?"

Ino was torn from her thoughts like lightning dashing across the dark sky. Blue eyes gradually focused on brown ones, framed by black rimmed glasses—the fact that she still found him attractive, despite the fact that he wore glasses, surprised her; she wouldn't admit, ever, that she was shallow however; even though Shikamaru had often said she was. "Huh?"

"Does my presence really leave you speechless?" His lips curled into a teasing smile that made her heart leap.

"Uh, um…" Ino felt like face-palming herself. What. An. Idiot. "I mean, no. No! No, it doesn't," she added hurriedly. Aizen's face showed a flicker of undiscernible emotions and Ino instantly thought that what she had said was wrong. "I mean—yes! Wait, no. I mean…" she sighed, sagging her shoulders, "I was lost in thoughts. My apologies."

Aizen laughed. "It seemed as though you were very deep into them."

Ino nodded dumbly—though was slightly peeved but flattered that he found her amusing; more peeved actually because she didn't like being laughed at. "I was."

"A penny for your thoughts? Or in this case, yen."

The blonde looked up, dumbfounded that the shinigami Captain had conjured up a joke. Well, he did have a sense of humour, she had noticed that before but it was like she only realised it then. What a fool. She laughed but suddenly quietened when another thought flittered through the front of her brain. "Uh. I have a thought I'd like to share with you. I mean, it wasn't what I was thinking before but it is a thought anyway, so…"

Aizen chuckled. "Go on and then you could show me this cosmos you favour."

Ino felt her cheeks heat up—he knew. Oh, he so totally knew. He knew that she was… attracted to him. Again, she felt like face palming herself. _Can't I be subtle for one time in my life?!_

"Well, I just wanted to ask about… you and, like, the other Captains?" She titled her head to the side in uncertainty.

"Of course. What would you like to know?" He held an arm behind her back and gentle nudged the small of it so that she'd get the hint to walk with him. She did, stumbling in surprise at the contact at first before straightening up; his brief touch was still making her skin tingle. They waded through the field of assorted flowers, their ankles brushing the soft petals and leaves.

"My friend and I saw a few of you a while ago. What… was that about first of all?"

"I believe your village elders will inform you of that in due time but… through deduction skills, the answer should be deduced."

His words were cryptic, and the formality in which he spoke in made it seem all the more confusing as Ino tried to decode his words. She had… discussed it with Sakura and the rest of their teams at one point, she was sure of it. She quickly realised. "They're saying that the council and the Hokage plan to train ninja into shinigami. Is that why you were here? To discuss that?" She blinked like a little child begging for candy, or in this case, information.

Aizen chuckled. "That is correct; there's more to it of course."

"Whether if it is possible."

"Observant."

"When the occasion calls for it."

"Shouldn't it all through the day and night?"

"Touché"

The brunette shinigami chuckled. "Yes. One of our Captains and his Lieutenant had been spending a month studying and analysing the body of a ninja; their function, their abilities, their diets and the like." He examined her from the corner of his eyes. "Your jutsu's and techniques."

"Isn't that… confidential?" Ino asked slowly.

"Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are about the acceptance of such valuable knowledge being divulged to us, especially since I've seen your council—not so much your Hokage—to be rather… rude, to say the least." Ino smothered her laughter with a cough; Aizen smirked. "Then again, we were only told of the more common and most practised jutsu's, such as the henge in Academy. One of us had attended a lesson to learn more. It was interesting."

Ino beamed. "We're fascinating aren't we?"

"Indeed." He stopped, the blonde copying, and stared down at her; she felt like she was being pushed into the dirt. "Though I'm sure you are just as curious about us as well."

Despite her fluttery stomach, Ino nodded and attempted to copy his tone and voice as she said, "Indeed." Aizen laughed. "How many Captains are there?"

"Thirteen, plus thirteen Lieutenants as well; they are often well-known amongst the shinigami ranks, particularly the Captains."

"Which number are you?"

"Fifth."

"Could you tell me some of the others names?"

They continued walking, Ino leading the way through the meadow and then into a cluster of thin trees. "You wouldn't know them."

"Maybe I will sometime."

"I see your point."

"Actually…" she glanced over her shoulder, conflicting thoughts shivering in her eyes. "There is just one I'd like to know the name of."

Aizen raised an eyebrow, despite the fact that she couldn't see it. "Oh? Describe him." He had noticed, or at least figured, that it was a male of course.

"Uh. He had black hair." She stepped over a fallen log. "And it was long and—"

"Byakuya Kuchiki, sixth Captain."

Ino jumped in surprise, whirring around. "How'd you—"

Aizen chuckled. "It was quite obvious." Ino pouted, sucking on the inside of her cheek.

"Fine." She pivoted again, hair streaming around her like a falling ribbon, and trekked on, another clearing becoming visible through the thin scatter of forest trees. "After your meeting, all of you suddenly disappeared. Why?"

"A select few were chosen to stay behind at the time to study ninja life at their leisure, also to remain in case of any emergencies. It was also a bridge for an alliance between you and us."

"Ahh." Ino suddenly sighed, hands together in front of her chest. "We're here." She whirled around, giggling, grabbing onto his hands, before she realised what she was doing, and lugged him into the white field. His eyes widened at her forward attitude but he let himself be tugged along nonetheless, a smile on his face that bared his teeth a little. "Cosmos: Peaceful!"

It was about halfway into the field that Ino became lucid and she quickly dropped his hands, erasing the awkwardness soon after by opting for a pirouette, and then some more twirls, moving away from his figure. Aizen merely watched with a content posture, his arms folded into his haori as the white flowers danced around him and with her.

* * *

Gin back-flipped, his clothes fluttering through the gushing wind until he landed smoothly onto the grass further back, dodging a nasty mid section swipe with a kunai from Kakashi who had just performed a clone technique, attempting to confuse the shinigami. As soon as he landed, Ichimaru's smile decreased into a thin line as strands of his silver hair fluttered before his eyes; Kakashi centred himself, sensing an impending threat. Gripping the hilt of his katana again, Gin slid his feet back into position.

Twenty minutes of playful spar was now going to turn rough. Naruto and Sakura felt the tension and hostility flood the atmosphere at once that it was like fumes choking them. Hair straightened on their skin and their body gave a gentle quiver, as though winter had set in, in seconds.

He sprung, appearing before Kakashi in milliseconds, his katana shifted for swipe to the side. The blade caught the jounin's side and instantly the body exploded like a balloon, clouding Gin's vision with smoke. He shunpo'd out of the smoke and into the clearing, quickly readjusting his hold on his katana to block a sudden attack from above.

His lids peeled open to reveal lightning blue; two elite fighter's eyes locked, determination swimming in their expression.

Kakashi furrowed his brow, pushing himself off of the failed attack and springing back, putting a string of hand seals together in seconds, giving Gin hardly enough time to straighten himself and dodge as a flurry of fire came bulldozing towards him. Ichimaru blocked again with his Zanpakuto as the fireballs came within distance; the searing heat flushed the sides of his cheeks and ears as he swiped at each ball of fire.

He grunted as he twirled his katana around, effectively using the wind to blow the fire off course; they went plummeting into the air in all directions, luckily not near the two genin who were watching wide eyed.

The jounin was soon on the defence. Gin had come in for a proper attack, his pointed blade nothing more but a flurry of silver as he attempted to snag a piece of Kakashi's clothes to hold him still. Said ninja was dodging furiously, sweat outlining his brow.

_Twang!_

Metal met metal: katana on kunai, and the two glared at each once more, pushing their strength into their extended arms. Lines suddenly layered down passed Gin's eyes and he soon found himself compressed together, his arms held against his body by some thin wire that was coiled around him like a snake. He hissed as Kakashi delivered a blow to the underside of the jaw with the elbow.

It hit.

At the same time, as the shinigami grunted in pain—and muttered two or so words undiscernibly—and was raised slightly in the air by the force of the blow, a flash of white seared passed Kakashi's midriff, ripping through his flak jacket and burying into the soil behind him. Eyes wide, the jounin quickly assessed, seeing the wire he had spiralled around the shinigami coming loose due to his katana severing it at his side.

Gin teetered as he landed, his blade ripping more of Kakashi's clothing as his feet felt earth. He ripped the wire off in irritation, his other hand still half pinning Kakashi in the spot—the jounin could break himself free if desired by merely pulling himself from the blade.

"I'm sure der's a thousand other moves dancing 'round yer head, One-eye, but—"

"—oh yeah."

The sound of fluttering clothes caught his attention in the nick of time. Gin half turned, seeing a clone of Kakashi zero in on him. Gritting his teeth, he glanced back at the other version of the ninja, only to see it disappear in a puff of smoke and to reveal a large log with his blade buried in the side. He hissed, withdrawing his wakizashi to its normal size and then shifting around, brandishing Shinso in front of him before coming at Kakashi head on.

There was a flurry of actions and the sound of Sakura's gasp as dust and dirt smothered the clearing in a brown haze. The genin coughed, covering their eyes and waiting for the soil to settle back down. "What happened?" Naruto asked, hacking. Sakura peered through squinted lids to see now three figures on the sparring field. The dust finally dispersed, the clearing flooded with a silence that was soon interrupted by a, "What the heck happened?!"

Kakashi, his body half buried under the ground, had his outstretched hand pinned to the grass by the tip of another pointed katana through his baggy sleeve. Gin's attack, his arm lifted to deliver a stab to the shoulder, was being held back by another hand, slender fingers wrapped around his wrist.

"I do believe that some unnecessary blood was about to be shed," the newcomer stated monotonously.

"Tch." Ichimaru scowled before pulling his wrist from the grasp of the other shinigami. "Perfect timing, as usual."

Sakura felt her jaw drop to the earth as she took in the man who had interrupted the spar. It was the Sasuke look-alike again, only this time she had seen him, briefly, in battle. He even had the same look in his eyes as he appraised Ichimaru and released Kakashi's sleeve. He was, for lack of better word at that moment in time, beautiful.

"If I had not intercepted then the struggle for creating this alliance would be bruised."

Gin shrugged nonchalantly. "Justa spar, Kuchiki."

"It was not just a spar, Ichimaru," the black-haired shinigami stated sternly. "Many ninja do not trust us already, so do not give them another reason to."

By this point Kakashi had pulled himself from the earth and was dusting off loose soil on his clothes. He had his eyes trained on the two shinigami before he approached his two students, inspecting the tiny hole in his sleeve by poking a finger through it. He sighed as stopped in front of them.

"That was brilliant!" Naruto screamed, waving his arms around excitedly. "I dunno what happened but it was great!"

Sakura, having to force herself to tear her gaze from the black-haired shinigami, agreed profusely by nodding her head vigorously. "I wonder who would have won if it wasn't interrupted. By the way, sensei, who is that?" She pointed at the man she was interested in.

"Byakuya Kuchiki," Kakashi replied. "Didn't sense him coming. He's fast."

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto started, scratching the side of his head. It was strange how his mood had suddenly fizzled out to blatant confusion. "Is what that guy said true? About ninja not trusting them?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

The silver-head sighed, tussling Naruto's blonde hair so that it was even wilder than before. "You'll find out eventually."

* * *

Two weeks.

It had been two weeks since the last known interesting event had happened between any of the genin (with the addition of Shikamaru) and the shinigami. He was curious, and burning for answers with what was going on. There was no doubt, nor a secret, that the council and Hokage planned to train ninja, and that the rumours of information being gathered to decide whether it was possible was confirmed—Gai had blurted it out by mistake.

So, in return, Shino Aburame was alert of his surroundings.

After the meeting had ended two weeks and three days ago, the Captains had left, but now, more were trickling in at untimed paces, so it wasn't a surprise to see a new face around suddenly. That was no reason, however, not to be on his guard.

He had known, since he had left dinner with his fellow genin, that he was being watched and followed, and he had an inkling that it was a shinigami. He didn't know a single ninja who would follow him like that, as they all knew that they'd be found swiftly, thanks to his bugs.

But which shinigami?

Shino pretended to ignore the presence twenty feet back, preferring to act like he didn't know they were there as he strolled down the empty street. It was night and he was heading home, to the manor.

However, curiosity got the better of him, and he suddenly stopped. His hands remaining in his pockets, Shino waited, stretching out his chakra to touch the shinigami following him. He heard some muttered curses—ones that he wouldn't have heard if he were a non-ninja or a little further away—before he decided to retract his bugs.

"You can come out. I know you're there," he informed, not turning around to face the other. Some light footsteps sounded in his ears, proving that the shinigami had moved out of his hiding place. "Why were you following me?"

"Hmph. Curiosity," was the curt reply; the voice was young but still deep.

Shino shifted to the side, his brown eyes taking in the small form of a silver-spiky-haired Captain, his blade slung on his back. "Which one are you?"

The shinigami's eyes furrowed at the question. "Tenth Captain, Toushiro Hitsugaya. You can call me Captain Hitsugaya."

"I owe you no formalities, unless you give me mine."

Hitsugaya shifted at the response, as though put out by it. "What is your status?"

"I am a member of the Aburame Clan. It's heir."

The Captain seemed to recognise the stature and nodded in understanding. "An agreement then, that we speak with formality." Shino didn't reply but his silence was taken for a 'yes' nonetheless.

"Why were you following me? The real reason."

"I could tell you are a good fighter, but I wanted to know… a little more."

"What have you learned?"

"Control over bugs, insects. That's how you found me wasn't it?"

"I could sense you on my footsteps since I left dinner."

Hitsugaya paused, as though inwardly berating himself for being caught. "More observant than I thought."

"Is that because I'm young? Or because I'm a ninja?"

"I don't want to make enemies with every ninja I come across. Take it merely as me being in the dark of what your abilities were."

Shino lifted his shoulders as a shrug. "Fine. Anything else?"

"No. Just go about your business, and ignore that I am there."

"I don't take too kindly with having someone watching me."

"I'm not watching," Hitsugaya responded with a smirk. "I'm analysing."

* * *

"Sakura! Sakura!" A chorus of loud banging's could be heard from downstairs, and the young female ninja groggily lifted her head, her lids trying their hardest to part to allow her to see. Her vision was blurry as she groaned in tire and rubbed her eyes, yawning as she stretched out her back in bed. "Sakura! Wake up!"

"Hmm?" The pinkette opened an eye, staring at her bedroom interior as she listened to the loud knocking downstairs. With a roll of her eyes, she cracked her back and slid out of bed, tossing the covers over it as she stretched again. "Naruto."

Yawning again and wiping her eyes, Sakura stole her way downstairs, still in her green chequered PJ's as she approached the dining room. Her feet hit the cold tiles and shivers slithered up her spine, effectively waking her up properly.

"Sakura!"

"I'm coming," she growled out, opening the front door and backing away just in time to see Naruto's blonde head poke in and his blue eyes shine brightly at her. He gave her a foxy grin and entered her home. "You're lucky my parents like taking walks in the morning." He merely cackled as she closed the door behind him. "Naruto, why are you here so early in the morning?"

"Hmm?" He cracked his eyes open, as though confused about why she was asking. "Oh. Was wondering if you wanted to go out to breakfast with me."

Sakura sighed, holding back a yawn. "Naruto, I—" she caught sight of something that he was holding in his hands and she raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Hmm?" Again, confusion stole his face as he blinked at her before he looked where she was pointing. "Oh!" He grinned, scratching the back of his head sheepishly as he stretched out his hand to give it to her. "Thought I'd deliver your mail."

"You went through our mail box?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, so?"

She shook her head, smiling. "Never mind." Reading the front of the envelope told her that it was addressed to her—the back had the Hokage signature and seal—and she quickly began opening it with Naruto peering at it. Flourishing the parchment, her green eyes swept over the writing swiftly. Her jaw dropped. Naruto, seeing this, and haven't getting the chance to read what it said, began begging her to tell him what it said. "I'm required to head to the Hokage office for a debrief."

"What?!" Naruto cried. "Why didn't I get one?! I mean! We're a team!"

Sakura shook her head. "I don't know. It doesn't say it's a mission though. It—" her eyes widened and Naruto, once again, begged her to tell him what it was. "It's to do with the shinigami." Looking up to stare him squarely in the eyes, she whispered hoarsely out, "I've been suggested for the program."

* * *

_I love the shinigami x ninja battle! XD_

_*cough* I've come to realise that AN's seem to be read more if they're at the bottom. :) So expect them here from now on. _

_Anyway, I'd just like to ask a question. I plan to start a forum featuring BLExNAR as the main thing, and I'd just like to know if it would be used. So, who would join it? Please tell me in your review if you're interested. I think I was planning on creating it anyway but still. The next chapter I post will alert you that it is posted—if this forum is desired. _

_There are several threads in it that should be fun, such as writing contests (crossover oneshots), as well as discussions, polls and more. So, yeah, tell me if you find it fun, because I'd like to know if it would be used. **EDIT**: I will mention it in my next chapter anyway, but would just like to say this for other people who are going to read: my forum is now up. Head to my profile to find it, and please participate. :3  
_

_Moving on, I hope you liked the chapter. Things are finally beginning to merge into Soul Society territory, which is pretty exciting. :D I am seriously loving the amount of feedback from all of you (thankyou!!!!!!) On that note, do each of you want me to send you a PM every time you review to give thanks, or is thanking you in the chapter good enough? *hugs*_

_Reminders:_

_. Vote in my poll, **Which BLExNAR oneshot pairing should I write next**?_

_. Read my other BLExNAR oneshots I have posted._

_The next chapter is the last in Konoha before we move into Soul Society, so bear with me please. :3 Thankyou, again, for all your support. It makes me wanna scream out… :D :D :D _

_Please review + continue to give support, etc! _


	7. Goodbye To You

FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM  
**~7~  
**"Goodbye To You"

* * *

Sakura moved robotically towards the Hokage tower, shock still surging through her system. Her stomach wasn't crying out for food like it had been when she had woken up; instead, it felt like it was full—full of butterflies. She traced her eyes over the contents of the letter again as her feet pressed against the gravel of the dirt path, the walkway relatively full of citizens due to it being the middle of the day.

Naruto had given her a lot of grief as soon as she had told him three hours ago, and he refused to believe that he wasn't chosen. He had gone home several times to check his mail, just in case there was a mistake. Even offering to pay for his meal wasn't good enough—the end was near if he refused ramen—and somehow made his mood even more sour than before. He wasn't blaming Sakura, just disappointed that he hadn't received the letter—yet; he was adamant that the postman must have lost it or something. He had actually dragged her to the post office just before she was meant to leave to meet at the tower at ten.

Now alone—as her teammate was busy doing something else—she felt smaller than ever as she approached the tower. The building itself wasn't ominous, just the knowledge that she was going to be even further involved in the shinigami business was.

What a privilege though! Her parents had been surprisingly happy about it, having believed the shinigami as heroes for saving Konoha, so they were more than eager to let Sakura attend the debrief.

Pushing open the front doors, the pinkette stepped into the lobby, none of the ninja within glancing in her direction as she swerved through the desks and made her way to the staircase. It seemed to take forever and no time at all as well before she found herself out front of the Hokage's office. She hovered her fingers over the silver handle, swallowing.

Why was she hesitating? It was a great opportunity and would give her the chance to learn more about a different culture.

Furrowing her brow in confidence, Sakura opened the door, feeling cool air flush against her warm, sweating brow and coming face to face with several people she knew.

Tenten, Neji, Kiba and Akamaru, Ino and Shikamaru.

They sat to the right side of the room, with a certain number of shinigami to the left, facing them, not even glancing in her direction as she slowly and quietly took a seat beside Kiba, the letter still clutched in her hand. Her heart pounded against her ribcage as she looked down the line, seeing some very different expressions on each of the faces beside her; many looked confident and she wondered why the hell they weren't nervous. Tensing her legs and forming a fist with one of her hands, she attempted to relax into her seat, ready to hear what the debriefing was about.

Tsunade, who had been watching her as soon as she opened the door, closed her eyes and sighed. Things were finally getting underway.

The council had been informed of every ninja allocated for the mission, as well as the consequences of the training, and how it would affect the rest of Konoha. That's why only recently released ninja were nominated. However, there were other reasons that went along for why these ones were chosen.

She stiffened her laced fingers before she opened her eyes, revealing the warm colour of honey. "We'll begin." The room suddenly became even tenser as the ninja side waited in anticipation for their role in the program. "As you already know due to one of our jounin mishap about spilling the beans of this operation, for the passed two months, the council, myself and the shinigami have been attempting to create an alliance. With this alliance, is a new program; ninja training in the arts of shinigami." Neji and Kiba shifted in excitement, the former able to contain his joy a little more skilfully than the latter. "You seven have been nominated by shinigami who believe you would do well in this program."

Pride swelled in Sakura at those words. For once, since she started as a genin, she felt as though she could make a difference, a good one, and not be left behind like so many times before. She clenched her hands, feeling anxious about the topic now. Despite this having a lot of consequences to it—which she knew was going to be explained—she just wanted to leave already and start training. The thought was beyond thrilling.

"What their reasons are for choosing you have been disclosed to myself and the council. Chouji Akimichi and Shino Aburame were also nominated but both of them are unable to participate. Chouji due to his clan and Shino due to his ability and the inevitable progress of the training, they were both removed from the program."

"What?" Kiba whispered, though his words were heard clearly; Akamaru yipped as well.

Tsunade paused, shifting her gaze to the Inuzuka. "You got a problem with that?" The brunette closed his mouth abruptly, anger flaring in his eyes as he relaxed into his seat like before. "Good. Now—"

The door suddenly flung open and two vibrantly coloured people tumbled in, the green squishing the orange. It was Naruto and Lee. Grunting in pain, the blonde hoisted himself up—with the help of Lee—and grabbed his head then rubbing it better. "Granny Tsunade! What's going on here?! Why wasn't I chosen?! Or Lee?!" His voice shattered the eerie silence that was there moments before like a glass breaking under heavy contact; it was loud, deafening.

Tsunade's eyes twitched at the knucklehead's voice and she gingerly pressed a fingertip to her temple. "If you keep quiet then it would be explained." Naruto instantly closed his mouth, though it was obvious he wanted to say much more. Beside him, Lee remained obediently silent, his posture straight as he was in the presence of high stature.

Byakuya rose from his seat fluidly—leaving Sakura and Ino almost drooling—and took a step forward. "You have all been watched and studied by us, but, as mentioned before, only certain ninja could be given the chance to accept the offer to be in the program." His penetrating onyx eyes kept Naruto's lips sealed. "You two," he gestured minutely to the two brightly coloured genin, "have a lot of energy within you already; your chakra."

"So?" Naruto finally burst out. "Wouldn't that make us good in being a shini-whatsy?" Hitsugaya snorted in his seat beside Aizen, his arms and legs crossed. "Ya got a problem shorty?!"

The tenth shinigami Captain's eyebrow twitched at the name and he glared venomously in Naruto's direction. "For starters, I'm older than you, _boy_, and the fact that you don't even remember our race is more then enough reason not to accept you."

Naruto propelled back slightly in shock at the words, having not hearing such harsh things against him in a while now. Anger fuelled him quickly, his expression morphing to anger as he took a stand. However, Sakura was soon in front of him, her hand on his forearm, holding him back. "Naruto," she soothed.

"On the contrary," Byakuya continued as though the little spat before never happened, "the fact that you have too much chakra within you is a problem. This involves the science of the program. Listen carefully." His tone was dominating; everyone went silent in seconds as he turned to the rest of the ninja waiting in anticipation. "The energy used in shinigami practises is different from yours. At first, it was thought that it would not be possible for a ninja to be trained, but after analysing the components of your energy, we found hints of our own in yours. This will be enough to harness more reiryoku—our energy—from you.

"Adult ninja were not chosen specifically because they have both too much skill and too much chakra. The training program intends to convert your chakra into reiryoku; therefore, the more you have, the longer the process will take. You two have too much chakra and we have too little time."

"Wait, wait, wait," Sakura shook her head, waving her hands in the air; Shikamaru, beside her, nodded, seeing the predicament.

"Is there a problem?" Byakuya asked. His voice sent shivers down the pinkette's spine and she found it difficult to find her voice when he locked his gaze on her. He was watching her, waiting for her to talk.

_Don't stuff it up, Sakura! _"Uh. Converting chakra to reiryoku… would this affect how we perform jutsu's?"

Byakuya paused, the silence thickening in the room. The shinigami behind him, Shikamaru noted, seemed to smile as soon as she asked. "Yes. It would."

All seven of them—not including Naruto and Lee, who had taken a seat by the door at some point—sagged their shoulders; Neji did his more delicately though. "How much?" Shikamaru queried, his lidded eyes narrowing.

The shinigami—Hitsugaya, Aizen, Ichimaru and Soi Fon—seemed to stretch their smirks a smidgen. Byakuya took in a breath, predicting a destroyed room as soon as he would finish his sentence. "It's a decision… between ninja and shinigami."

There was literally a moment which was the calm before the storm.

"What?" Neji, the only one who seemed to have regained his senses, hissed, baring his teeth much like Kiba would when riled up—the Inuzuka would no doubt go nuts as soon as he soaked in the situation.

"It's as I said. It's a one way trip. Decide: ninja or shinigami."

Ino suddenly burst out into tears, burying her head into her hands as she wept away, raising her legs to press them against her chest and hug them tightly. Sakura felt her eyes prick as well, tears threatening to break the dam. "What?" she whispered, choking back a sob as she tensed in her seat.

Tenten's jaw was pretty much on the floor and she was scrambling to come to her senses. Shikamaru was pissed, managing to keep his anger in check however, much like Neji was able to do. Kiba, though, looked ready to explode. In fact, he did.

"What?! You expect us to give up our past life?! Everything we've learned and been taught by our parents and teachers?! That's bullshit!" His face was crimson red, his spit flying everywhere as he yelled at the calm and stoic shinigami who had delivered the news. Naruto joined in the row.

The words of anger were tossed at the shinigami from all directions but none seemed fazed by it; they expected it, as did Tsunade.

"You were chosen because you were thought to be good enough to represent your village," Aizen said, his voice somehow managing to slice through all the heated one-sided arguments in the room. "You've been nominated as the most likely applicants to survive and excel through shinigami training by shinigami Captains themselves." He paused, his brown eyes scouring over the many faces that were glaring back at him. "Do not make us go back on our decisions, nor insult us by hinting that who we chose were obviously not to the standards we thought them to be."

Ino, the one who had been spending a good amount of time with him, felt pride begin to swell inside of her once more. She felt confidence bubble within her as she listened to Aizen's words.

There was silence and the moment was taken for the message—and compliment—to sink in; Naruto, however, still looked peeved, and he growled as he pushed Lee out and slammed the door. Sakura and Tsunade shook their heads at his stubborn attitude, knowing that he wasn't going to stop there.

"Any questions?" Byakuya asked. His words rang like a dull throb in the room.

"So, we can't perform any techniques that involve jutsu's?" Tenten muttered. "Is it still actually possible to be a shinigami but still possess ninja abilities?"

"The concept hasn't been properly research, due to certain hounding on our scientist's back—" Aizen answered, casting Tsunade a meaningful glance and she muffled a snort of laughter, "—but you are welcome to find out, if you want to risk it. Theoretically, it might be possible to have reiryoku react the same way chakra can, so all that you would need to do is train your body to perform your abilities with reiryoku."

Tenten, and a few others, sighed in relief.

Aizen shrugged. "Theoretically."

"I am apart of a clan," Neji stated, his arms crossed and jaw tight. "Wouldn't this… _conversion_… affect my ability?" He spoke with distaste.

"You are of the Hyuuga clan," Byakuya said, his tone creating it as a rhetorical question. "You possess the Byakugan, do you not?" Neji nodded stiffly. "Your Kekkei Genkai is a bloodline trait, meaning it is apart of your body and is, to an extent, a necessary function. Reiryoku is apart of your body as well and would then be able to merge with your ability quicker. However, pain can be inevitable. It's recommended you make the flow to your eyes a slow and steady process."

"That's a chakra-related ability, and requires jutsu. What you're saying is that it can work the same way even with reiryoku?" Shikamaru asked. Byakuya tilted his head slightly, in a gesture of affirmation. "How is this different from a normal jutsu?"

"Because they aren't a necessity of life."

"To _you_ maybe not, but to us they are," Sakura replied hotly. She then cursed herself inwardly for speaking against the man in front of her. He eyed her carefully, as though waiting to see if she'd react again.

"As I said, it can be theoretically possible but the process will take double the time."

"How long does it take to convert chakra?" Tenten asked, resting her elbows on her knees as she leaned forward.

"Several years."

"Years?!" Kiba shouted, shooting up from his seat.

Ichimaru chuckled. "Of course. We never said it was gonna be easy."

"Shut up you!" the Inuzuka snarled.

The shinigami's smile widened considerably at the demand. He did not keep his mouth closed. "There is an easier way to gain reiryoku though, if yer don't wanna train fer, oh, six or seven years."

Neji gave him a suspicious look. Aizen, at the same time, muttered something to Ichimaru, whose smile seemed to diminish a fraction before it widened again. "What is it?" the Hyuuga asked for everyone.

"Ta die, of course."

"Forget it!"

"Nuh uh."

"No way."

"Too much trouble."

Ino fought the urge to say, 'Came pretty close to dying yourself, Shikamaru,' but luckily retained herself. Granted, she probably would have been able to get away with saying it as he was her teammate, but a joke about that day would definitely have been a bad idea, considering since Shikaku had died, the genius had been showing anger and frustration all the time. However, with his skill he was able to show said anger through his strides and sentences, rather than his fists.

Ichimaru shrugged. "Was jus a suggestion."

"A crap one if you ask me," Kiba whispered to Akamaru on his head as he retook his seat. He grunted as Sakura nudged him to be quiet.

"Six or seven years, then?" Neji mused. His eyes were focused hard on Gin and Aizen before he shifted his gaze to Byakuya. He was contemplating.

"Before you decide," Hitsugaya started, drawing attention to himself. Ino and Sakura's 'boy alert' side of their brains began ringing again, just like when they first saw Byakuya. "We'd like to know, if you accept, why you accepted."

"You mean, we get a choice?" Tenten smiled, sitting upright in her seat at the notion. Hitsugaya put his eyes on her—she shifted—and then nodded curtly.

"It's recommended that you do not have a choice, however," Tsunade cut in. Everyone looked to her this time, and she unlaced her fingers. "Shikamaru." Said chuunin paid attention. "You do not get a choice though."

Ino gaped. Shikamaru, himself, remained to appear unaffected though confusion swam in his mind. He was thinking, trying to figure out why he didn't get a choice, and what it therefore meant.

"Shikamaru, your skills are highly valuable, this the shinigami know, but I've decided that you shall remain here, in Konoha," was Tsunade's explanation.

"No," Ino half-sobbed, latching onto the frowning chuunin's arm tightly so that he couldn't be torn from her. "Please! He has to go! He's—he's—"

"First of all, Yamanaka, how do you know he wants to go? Furthermore, he is of more value here, in Konoha, than in Soul Society."

"So you're using him! And how do you know he wants to stay?!" Ino cried out, rising from her seat; Shikamaru, the topic of the argument, remained silent. "This isn't fair!"

"This was not my decision, Yamanaka, though my vote did go for him to remain here. It is what the council decided just now."

"Well, the council are assholes! Rude! Snobby!" she counter-attacked, looking to Aizen through tears as soon as she spoke. He nodded lightly, as if congratulating her for some reason. Relief flooded her system as Ino gave a crooked smile in return. She had basically repeated what he had thought about the council as well... only he was more formal about it.

"Yamanaka. Reign in your tongue before your chance to join this program is withdrawn," Tsunade replied seriously, anger edging into her tone.

Aizen and Byakuya opened their mouths to respond to that warning but they were both effectively cut off as Ino took control again. "It's too late, Hokage! I'm officially a shinigami trainee, so I don't fall under your jurisdiction!" she shouted hotly, warm tears trailing down her cheeks as she breathed in and out heavily.

There was a stunned silence as everyone else let her words sunk in. She had a point. She, at that moment, as soon as she said it, was not a ninja anymore. Though, based on technicalities, she was not yet enrolled as a shinigami but her point was made nonetheless.

"Ino, I—" Shikamaru started only to be cut off.

"Shikamaru." Ino heaved, her blue, glassy eyes narrowed on Tsunade before she moved them to her teammate. "Shikamaru, I promise I will take your place in Soul Society and avenge the death of your father." Dedication and love towards her friend was embedded fully into her voice as she spoke. So much emotion was in it that it made the dam within Sakura to break and she began tearing; though they were tears of mirth.

Shikamaru was stoned, staring up at the blonde beauty in disbelief. "Ino."

"Please. I know you wanted to—" more hot water slid down her cheeks and she breathed in shakily, "—I know you wanted to go to Soul Society to find a way to destroy the monsters who killed your father. Please. Let me take that goal onto my shoulders."

"It's… too heavy…" he said slowly, his heart rampaging in his chest.

"No, it won't be," Neji announced. Sitting on the other side of Ino, he gave the genius a nod. "My reason for accepting this opportunity to go to Soul Society was not only to give honour to my clan and village, nor honour to myself, but to do something of the opposite. I intended to gain the abilities of a shinigami… so I can avenge Hinata. I can help Ino carry the burden, Shikamaru."

The room went quiet. Shikamaru, a lax smile crawling onto his face, made a sound of relief as he looked away, shaking his head. He shaded his eyes with a hand, his shoulders shaking before he grabbed Ino by her own and pulled her into a hug as he rose. His arms wrapped around her small frame tightly, he whispered in her ear, "Thankyou."

"So, Neji Hyuuga and Ino Yamanaka have accepted," Soi Fon summarised, crossing her legs and arms. "Anyone else?"

Feeling powerful at the scene she had just witnessed with friendship, Sakura felt suddenly torn. She longed to go to Soul Society, to make a difference, to be worthy to Konoha, but yet she'd be leaving Naruto behind, who was still recovering from the betrayal of Sasuke. But… she sighed, dropping her head, her fingers scrunching the letter in her hands… she didn't know what to do.

"Sign me up!" Kiba shouted, Akamaru barking in agreement.

Neji smirked. "I was wondering when you'd say that." Some type of unspoken message was passed between the two as they locked eyes.

Tenten perked an eyebrow. "How would that work with a dog?"

Kiba paused, holding up a finger in her direction but found he had nothing to say. "Oh yeah." He frowned, shifting to Byakuya. "So?" He crossed his arms.

"The shinigami who nominated you has plans for you, plans that no one else knows but them and Captain Yamamoto. They are confident that you would still be able to become a shinigami, even with a canine as your companion," was the monotonous reply.

Kiba bared his teeth as he grinned. "Hell yes!" He punched the air then began doing a small dance.

Tenten shrugged, giggling, shooting to her feet and holding up a hand. "Sounds like fun. My reason? Simple. I love weapons."

It was like Sakura suddenly shrunk, or became miniaturised, as every head in the room veered in her direction. She felt like a fly on the wall, or something special on display and that they were inspecting her for any faults. Well, she did. She had plenty of faults. She had no bloomin' idea what to do.

"Come on, Billboard Brow!" Ino begged, her hands together. "Just like old times!"

Sakura cracked a half smile, thinking back to when they were kids, before Sasuke came in between them. It was fun. She was fun to be with. And, if she said a single word, she could quite possibly get those times back. How… attracting. She was tempted. So tempted.

But then Naruto… and Kakashi flittered through her mind. Kakashi already voiced his suspicions with shinigami to the both of them, and while it was true that their arrival put the ninja regions into danger—if the danger got through the front gate that is—Sakura couldn't help but disagree with him.

The shinigami. They were good. They had to be. She didn't doubt her sensei's judgement; she took it on board but…

…she wanted to do something, decide something for herself, and apparently becoming a ninja was a mistake. She was always in the way, always being saved. She thought she had passed that phase during the Chuunin Exams but she guessed she was wrong.

Sakura looked up, meeting Byakuya's gaze and instantly she was reminded of Sasuke's expressions, the ones he often gave her if he was irritated with her. Though, as she looked deeper into this shinigami's eyes, she could see something else. Conflict. Confusion. She blinked and the emotions were gone. Shaking her head, she decided she didn't see it after all.

As she moved her eyes across the row of shinigami, she analysed them closely but quickly. Soi Fon merely raised an eyebrow and Aizen had smiled gently in return. Hitsugaya, however, looked to be getting a little impatient but his eyes, as their gaze matched, seemed to stare down into her. Feeling exposed she snapped her vision to Ichimaru, whose smile only widened.

He was an interesting one; one that she'd enjoy working with, if at all, in the future. Then again, he was also the one she didn't quite trust either—she believed that Kakashi was right to be suspicious of him as well.

Thoughts swarmed in her mind so that it was difficult to think. The others… they had something they were fighting for, either that, or they had nothing to lose. She didn't have anything—besides Konoha—to fight for, and in a way she had everything to lose.

It was like she was walking towards a light as she reached a decision. _I'm sorry… Naruto. Kakashi-sensei._

"I'll go. My reason…" She shrugged. "I want to… protect… be worth something."

Tsunade nodded in approval at the pinkette, and as everyone went to retake their seats—Sakura sighed in relief at the stripping of limelight—the blonde spoke up again. "There is… one more person that I'd like add to the program, if that is possible." She titled her head to the shinigami.

Aizen answered. "Who is this person?"

"Shizune," Tsunade hinted. Her apprentice ran to the door and opened it, peering out as she spoke words to someone. She returned to her position behind the desk swiftly enough and the door was pushed open entirely.

Danzo stepped through, his large build filling up the entire doorway. He then moved out of the side—several of the ninja-turned-shinigami sighed in relief that it wasn't him—and revealed a young boy behind him, his pale white skin contrasting with his black clothes and hair. He held a smile on his face but one glance was enough for anyone to tell that it was fake.

He stepped in, his black eyes surveying the room. Sakura and Ino both raised their eyebrows in half-surprise and disbelief. "Hello, my name is Sai," he greeted, waving warmly to the occupants in the room.

"Sai. Sai," Ichimaru pondered, his fingers cupping his chin as he directed his gaze to the ceiling as though thinking of something. "Was 'e nominated?"

Soi Fon shook her head, as did Hitsugaya. "No," the second Captain replied.

Tsunade sighed. "Danzo. Explain." It was clear she had not been informed on who the applicant was.

"I believe it would be wise to have someone who I think would do well in the program to be entered."

"That is not you're decision," she hissed out.

"Letting the shinigami decide everything for you, Lady Tsunade?"

She slammed a hand down onto her desk, effectively making everything on it tremble. "Never. They came to us about the list of applicants, and we cleared them. _Sai_, was not on the list."

"They haven't seen him train."

"Then where has he been? Have you been hiding something from us, Danzo?" Her tone was accusing and he knew it. He glared at her, his eyelashes moving against the bandages over the one eye.

"I believe you thought we had not seen him train," Aizen interrupted before a word-fight broke out. "In fact, one of us has. For one so young, he's quite skilled already in combat, preceding several of these new shinigami in abilities." Sakura felt her heart flutter in excitement as she was referred to as a shinigami.

"Danzo," Tsunade hissed.

"You didn't answer my question, I believe," the council member responded with subdued irritation. "Can he be entered in the program?"

The shinigami, all of them, analysed Sai, who remained completely nonplussed as their eyes roamed over him. The others waited in expectant silence for their new… superiors to reach a decision. "Do you think you will be able to keep up in shinigami study, despite being well-trained prior?" Soi Fon asked.

Sai mutely nodded.

"You will need to start from the beginning again." He nodded again. She sighed, glancing at the other shinigami before shrugging. "As long as he keeps up I suppose. Though other ninja won't be happy about it."

"They won't… if they never know," Danzo replied cryptically.

* * *

"N-Naruto."

"Please," he sobbed, falling to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "Please, don't go."

Sakura swallowed, a lump growing in her throat as she watched his eyes leak water like a running tap and his nose become runny. His blue eyes, once shining with happiness, looked as though he had never experienced the emotion ever before. It was heartbreaking; especially when he shuffled forward on his knees and grabbed her hips, pressing his forehead against her abdomen and let out a loud sob. She felt his hot tears dissolve into her clothes and her heart clenched, pounding within her body frantically as pain enveloped her. He tried breathing in but they were incredibly short breaths as saliva was blocking the entrance. He coughed, shaking his head from side to side.

"Don't go. Please."

She felt herself begin to cry too as she placed a hand on the back of his head, his blonde, fluffy hair tickling her palm as she curled her fingers into his locks.

"Please." His voice was muffled as he sobbed again, this time wrapping his arms around her waist entirely and pulling her even tighter against him; her knees banged against his chest and Sakura fought with all her strength not to cry out. She bit her lip, snapping her eyes shut as water played with her eyelashes.

"Naruto," she croaked out, her volume quiet in fear that the dam within her would break.

She was an idiot. She should have told him earlier—as well as Kakashi—but she didn't want him to stop her, so she opted not to tell either of the two. It was an idiotic and foolish thing to do. She should have known that he was going to find out and therefore track her down to beg her not to leave.

At least this time he had a chance of not making her leave, unlike Sasuke.

She hiccupped as that thought traipsed through her mind. She could be convinced so easily that it was painful.

Sakura felt his fingers begin to dig into the small of her back. "S-Sakura. Don't leave me," he whispered hoarsely against her stomach, his knees getting sore.

She felt exposed. As she scoped the entrance to Konoha, she felt silly when she noticed that everyone was watching the scene; though some did have the decency to look away. Ino caught her eye, and Sakura saw pain in her eyes as well as she gave a short, distracted hug once more to Chouji.

That's right. There were others that were going to be in pain. But none of them were as desperate as her teammate attached to her.

"Naruto," she gasped out again, her skin becoming clammy from where the tears were soaking into her clothes. He froze, as if awaiting her reply. She contemplated quickly again, thinking back to why she had wanted to leave in the first place.

To make a difference.

She had friends here, sure, but she wasn't able to fight to save her life and it was scary how much of that statement was true. She just wasn't cut out to be ninja, so perhaps a shinigami life was more suited.

She tensed her fingers that were weaved through his hair as she whispered out, in a mournful tone, "I'm sorry."

Naruto went spastic, clinging to her like a leech. She lost all air in her lungs as pressure was forced heavily onto her stomach as he held onto her for dear life. "No! Please don't! I've lost Sasuke, I don't want to lose you too!"

Sakura knew he was going to bring that up, and she felt an ounce of anger flare in her. She wasn't betraying him for Kami's sake! "Naruto." It didn't matter how hard she tried. Even though she was angry she couldn't muster that emotion into her voice. Not now. Not when he was so... vulnerable.

"No!" He shot up, his face smothered in tears. Growling, he flung his head in the direction of their teacher. "Kakashi-sensei! Help convince her she can't go!" The silver-head jounin merely shook his head, pain echoing in his eyes as he looked down.

"It's her decision," he added quietly.

Naruto hissed, his eyes wide in anger as he tightened his hold on Sakura's shoulders. She winced when his nails began to dig into her skin and she grasped at his orange jumpsuit, tugging on it. "N-Naruto!" She was scared. Why was he so... dramatic about it? There was still the chance of seeing each other again. But... even then she knew it wouldn't be the same. She would miss him; would miss waking up to his cheery face. There would be no one in Soul Society who could have that affect on her ever.

"Tch." Sakura flinched, closing her eyes in pain as she looked to his tanned face. He was breathing heavily, his nostrils flaring. She was startled to see the lines on his face beginning to thicken. "Naruto!"

Whatever happened next was just too fast; she could hardly see what happened. The end result of what had occurred was what she saw in front of her. Kakashi was holding Naruto to the ground by wrapping an arm around his shoulder and he was glaring venomously at Hitsugaya who had his katana pointed down at Naruto; said boy was thrashing. "Let me go! Sakura!"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "You can put that away." Hitsugaya paused, green coloured orbs watching Naruto struggle. Interest must have piqued as he didn't sheath his blade. "Put it away. I've got things under control here," Kakashi demanded again, his tone hostile.

Hitsugaya switched his gaze to Sakura and she felt herself freeze suddenly. She watched in return as he stared at her for a dozen very long seconds before finally putting his blade into its case. "She's a shinigami now, and we must protect our cohorts."

Naruto let out a strangled cry at his words, whacking his clawed hands on Kakashi's back. The jounin didn't flinch one bit as he was too busy glowering at the child Captain.

Sakura was slowly brought back into reality. She felt pain in her shoulders and as she looked to both sides, she saw that her green shirt was now ripped with blood soaking into it. It stung but nothing she couldn't handle. What she couldn't take or understand was why Naruto reacted in such a violent way. It scared her, terrified her, especially when Hitsugaya—her new superior—had spoken in a cold tone that she was no longer a ninja. He said it as though she wasn't even able to be friends with them because of it, and this angered her.

She furrowed her brow and clenched her fist, ignoring the dull throb in her shoulders. Who cared about the audience? She didn't. And she didn't give a rat's ass if the child Captain did. No. She didn't. That's why she approached him and lifted a hand, swinging it towards his tanned face.

A gasp escaped her throat as her wrist was caught and squeezed. His fingers were tightly enclosed around her limb and his gaze was cold as he glared at her. Panic bubbled within her as she looked at him. He was scary. And she only realised then—oh, the naivety—that shinigami were different. Very different.

Air lodged in her throat, as did saliva as she attempted to swallow. "I'd recommend not doing that again, Haruno," Hitsugaya responded, his brow furrowed deeply. Sakura nodded stiffly, feeling chills crawl into her body. He let her go suddenly, pushing passed her and stalking towards the rest of the shinigami grouped at the entrance of Konoha, below the massive vermillion wooden doors.

She hadn't really doubt her decision, Sakura realised. Sure, she had briefly wondered whether it was right but she knew deep down that this was what she wanted; she knew that all along. And it was only now, as they were about to leave, did she think back on her choice. Sakura looked over her shoulder, lips parted as she watched Hitsugaya's back recede. There were some things she'd just have to get used to, and he was one of them.

"Sakura." She turned back to Kakashi, who was still pinning Naruto down; her heart lurched once more. "Go." He nodded towards the gate, his eyes then squinting so that she knew he was smiling—but was it real? She doubted it. "I have faith in you. You'll be an excellent shinigami."

That was all she needed to hear nonetheless. All she needed to hear from her teacher, her old teacher now, was that she'd do well at something. He had said once that she had good chakra control but this was different. He never told her she had the potential to become a ninja, considering Sasuke was always on her mind, but now...

Sakura nodded, confidence filling her. She smiled. "Thankyou, Kakashi-sensei. I'll... miss you." She turned around, feeling Naruto's stare on her back as she walked away from her team and towards her new future.

"Sakura!" The pinkette looked up, feeling a strange sensation flutter in her chest as she saw Ino waving at her, a grin on her face though concern was evident in her eyes. "Let's go!" She nodded, jogging up to her old friend.

The five shinigami headed under the gates, their robes dancing in the light wind that passed by. She felt admiration for them by just looking at them. They were great fighters; each of them. And she knew she wanted to be just like that.

She looked up at the arch of the doors, feeling confident as she stepped out of her home. It was only then that she realised that she was starting a new life; a new life full of different opportunities and friends and relationships. Filled with new training methods and skills, and techniques and knowledge. She was starved for this type of information.

And as she walked side by side with her fellow ex-ninja, she wondered who the shinigami was that suggested her. She wanted to know. She wanted to meet them and just thank them for giving her a new option.

Goodbye, Konoha.

Goodbye…

…Kunoichi, Sakura Haruno

* * *

_I'm in different about this chapter but… yippee! We're out of Konoha! =D Flowers for everyone! *tosses flowers*_

_On other news… *whips out reporter costume*… I have my forum up now, for about a week or so. With the addition of this new chapter, new threads will be posted as well. It's a BLExNAR forum, and if you're interested, head to my profile and click on my forums at the top. Easy enough. :D Oh yes, please check the 'Updates' section, as I'm asking whether anyone wants to be a moderator too. On that note, Contests should hopefully begin soon._

_Now, didja enjoy da chapter? =D Please review + give support + opinions, etc! You have all been so fantastic already! My biggest thankyous. _


	8. Home

FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM  
**~8~**  
"Home"

* * *

The tunnel was cold. She didn't know if it was meant to be because they were ascending or something or because of a different reason entirely but it was like that nonetheless. She looked to the others, seeing that they all looked reasonably sure of their decision of leaving their home, but also a little wary; Ino's eyes, for example, were glassy and held uncertainty. That's the same thing that Sakura felt, and maybe it was also the reason for the biting chills that ran up and down her body.

It was the type of chilling feeling you get when you know you've hurt someone and nothing you say or do can change their mind so that they're not angry at you. Sakura was certain that that was the type of sensation that was swimming around in her stomach, and so she thought continuously back to Naruto.

His tears and pained face made her stomach and throat clench at just the memory of him. It made her feel horrible. She wished that, for that moment, she hadn't gotten close to him so that he wouldn't act that way but knew that he was one of the reasons for the change within her, and she was thankful for it. Without him, Kakashi, Sasuke and even Ino and Lee and other friends she had made, she wouldn't have had the strength to accept the calling.

But now that strength was fading, and she was being left with a cold, numbing feeling. She didn't like it; she hated it. The confident feeling that smothered her when she accepted was almost gone and the only thing that kept her walking through the tunnel was doubt.

What would happen if she returned? What would they think of her? What would happen to her? Would she remain the weak little genin that she was when she graduated? Or would she grow stronger through some other means? But what if she continued on? There were only a few going on this journey—and she glanced at each of them once more, tears pricking at her eyes as she breathed out and hugged herself tighter—and she was lucky enough to be recognised. The fact that a _Captain_ had chosen her was... well, it left her speechless.

But then as Naruto's words rang through her mind, she couldn't help but realise that... she was taking a page out of Sasuke's book.

She was leaving Konoha for someone who could give her more power. Granted, her reasons for leaving was probably more for loyalty towards home than Sasuke's was but still. Considering the mess his betrayal caused made Sakura's heart beat even faster, and she felt her joints become rigid.

As those words—_I'm like Sasuke_—ran through her mind over and over again, it got difficult to breathe and she found that even though her eyes were open, she was seeing nothing; except for the vague blur of the brown surface she was walking on.

She didn't know when but tears started to trickle down her cheeks, making more chills shudder through her skin. Surprised, Sakura hurriedly wiped at the water, smearing it over her face even more and then shaking her head, her fringe gluing to her due to the liquid. She shivered, confusion wafting through her as her mechanical footsteps slowed.

She wanted to go home all of a sudden; to see the others she had left behind. Her parents; teammates.

Sakura glanced to Ino, the blonde walking passed with a straight back and tunnel-vision eyes. Even as her skin slightly brushed Sakura's erect arm hair, she wasn't pulled out of her thoughts. Sakura wondered what her friend was thinking.

She bowed her head, her pink locks covering her face as she blinked slowly and then came to a gradual halt. "I... want to go home," she whispered uncertainly to herself. Her voice sounded foreign.

Someone stopped beside her. She could see black and white clothes and broad shoulders, which indicated that it was one of the musclier or taller shinigami Captains who was accompanying them. Dread doused her and she tilted her head away in the other direction.

"Go on."

The familiarity of the voice shot through her and Sakura closed her eyes in slow realisation. Byakuya Kuchiki. And she could only guess that when the patter of footsteps in front started to recede, that he was talking to the others to move on. She felt nervous as the silence prolonged and she started to unconsciously stop her breathing.

"'I want to protect; be worth something,'" he said after a bit, as though he knew that the silence would unnerve her entirely so that he could bend her to his will. "That is what you said."

She blinked again, tears collecting on her lashes. "I know, but—"

"Were you telling the truth?"

"What?" her voice was a whisper.

"Look at me when you're being addressed," Byakuya demanded, and Sakura, slowly and reluctantly, lifted her head slightly to meet his onyx gaze; eyes that were beginning to entrance her every time she'd even glance at his face. "Is what you said true?"

She parted her dry lips, breathing out shakily as she darted her eyes from side to side in confusion. Weakly, she replied, "yes."

His reply was instantaneous. "Then prove it."

"How?" her voice was coarse.

Byakuya almost looked as though he was sizing her up. "Maybe all you need is a little push," he said after a bit of silence.

Sakura swallowed, looking all around herself and his tall frame just to avoid looking in his eyes. It was difficult, as his presence was rather suffocating as he looked down on her. The Tunnel was of no interest, being just a narrow path that looked like it was built underground, as soil was the path you walked on and the walls and ceiling were as black as the night.

"What do you mean?" she asked cautiously.

Byakuya didn't reply right after, merely held out a calloused hand and said, "Take my hand."

Sakura widened her eyes at him like he was a crazy fool. The thought of touching his hand seemed impossible, like he was an angel who was transparent, ergo incapable of a solid body to feel. Her blood began to race and despite the fact that she felt cold before, she was beginning to sweat.

Hesitantly, Sakura stretched out her hand towards his, flexing her cold fingers before slipping them into his palm and grasping it lightly. She gasped as his longer ones clasped firmly over hers; it felt like a part of her was suddenly being tugged out of her or something.

"Walk."

His tone was commanding and Sakura felt compelled to follow; she would have done so to begin with anyway. She nodded and began walking, soon noticing that tears were no longer falling and that it was getting easier to breathe. She felt strangely alive, like the confidence that was shrinking before was coming back.

She stared wide-eyed at Byakuya, not caring that he wasn't looking back at her but rather at the white light ahead. To Sakura, even though it seemed silly, he was like an anchor for her already; an anchor that she was worth something, for some reason. Just the fact that he stayed to convince her and wasn't going to throw her back like she wasn't worth anything made her admire him even more.

Was he the one who nominated her?

"That boy is close to you," Byakuya suddenly remarked.

"Huh?" _Nice one, dumb one._

He didn't react. "He mentioned someone else when you were about to leave."

Sakura looked away. _**Don't even go there!**_

"I'm aware that someone betrayed your village not long before the attacks started; is this the same person that he mentioned?"

Again, she didn't respond. _**Please... shut up!**_

_Quiet Inner. I can't yell at him._ What she truly wanted to stay was squashed as she bit her bottom lip to repress her anger.

"Things happen to ninja that you cannot change; like death. He cannot change everything."

"He can try if he wants to," Inner spat out before she could stop herself. There, she got out what she wanted to say, but—

"No." His tone was absolute and Sakura instantly closed her mouth, frowning, Inner momentarily withdrawing. Irritation and anger began to spark within her, despite the fact that she was praising the Captain before. "No, he cannot. Death is the natural order of life, and some people may want to die. Are you saying that your friend does not care about destroying the wishes of others, as long as his 'rescue' rescues himself?"

"Don't talk like that," Sakura bit out. "You don't know him." Her Inner was once again becoming her.

"You're right. I do not know him but your response only approves my theory. And you wanted to go back home to him?"

Sakura huffed quietly to herself, tensing her fingers in his hand and slowing her walking pace. "He isn't my boyfriend or anything. And what's your point if I wanted to?"

"My point is, Sakura Haruno..." Byakuya stopped, forcing the pinkette to halt as well. She stared at him with a frown, though curiosity was embedded in her expression when she ran his voice through her mind again, replaying that moment where he said her name; it sent shivers down her spine. "...is that you considered returning home to a place where you previously thought yourself to be under everyone's shadow."

Her nostrils flared. "How dare—"

"Prove me wrong." His gaze hardened. "If you returned home, you would have been smothered by the darkness that you were worth nothing. One of us gave you the opportunity to grow, expand, as they saw your potential, which was not going to be tapped into while you remained in Konoha."

Recognition sparked in her eyes, despite the anger that was coursing through her. Sakura tilted her head to the side, feeling defiance, her Inner, consume her entirely; she was saying what she wanted to say. "You don't like Konoha."

Byakuya's lips thinned suddenly. "When did I say that?"

"You didn't have to," was her instant reply. "And this brings me back to Naruto. He's my friend, Captain Kuchiki, and I'd support him, and Konoha, until the end of the earth."

"Such loyalty would serve better elsewhere."

She gaped, feeling herself begin to cry once more. "How—On what grounds can you even say that?!"

"It is true that I have bitter feelings towards Konoha, specifically the council, so you were correct there and I commend you for noticing as not many people can tell what I feel or think." Sakura would have blushed if she wasn't so pissed. "But my criticism to your friend is this: you support him with all your heart, but how do you know he supports you as much in the same way."

Sakura's brow furrowed instantly as the accusation soaked in, and she attempted to tear her hand from his but Byakuya didn't let go, instead resorting to tighten his grip on her. Liquid flicked from her eyes as she shook her head. "You're a—" she silenced herself before she completed the rest of her sentence. Taking in a deep breath as tears outlined her face, Sakura attempted to respond. "He was one of the people that supported me the most," she hissed.

"That isn't what I saw."

"Well, how long have you been around? Two months?"

"I don't appreciate your tone."

"_I_ don't appreciate your accusations and insults."

He paused. "You're already excelling in your training."

"What?" Her crinkled brow lightened.

"You will understand in time."

Sakura bit her lip, looking away briefly as she thought _I hate that saying_.

"My point was, Haruno, that where was the support from him when you needed it the most? Instead of letting you do something you wanted to do, he made a scene. If he was a good _friend_... he should have—"

"Don't say it!" Sakura snapped as tears continued to stream down her face. A headache was beginning to form in her head, and it was gradually swelling as they continued to talk. She pressed a hand to her face as she shook her head ruefully. "Don't say it," she whispered out.

Byakuya didn't say anything, knowing that his point was now across and sinking in. It may have hurt but she needed it to move on, to walk her own path, which would have been impossible if she continued to latch onto her ties in Konoha. Her friends that were also on the program were already beginning to let go, which was amazing in itself considering they had lived their life in an entirely different environment and weren't even hesitant to leave. It hurt Sakura to know that she was the only one that was rethinking her decision—to her knowledge at least.

She took the time to wait for her hysteria to die down before cleaning up her face and straightening out her thoughts. As she waited there in silence, angry, she couldn't help but feel slightly proud that she didn't lash out like she would have wanted to. She probably wouldn't have been able to do any harm anyway.

"That was cruel," she said, tears once again building up behind her eyes.

"It was necessary."

Sakura eyed him, feeling her throat and eyes burn. "No it wasn't. I would have—"

"—you would have left, Haruno." Byakuya's form seemed to tower even more.

Would she have?

"Now. I've led you to the exit. You're friends are waiting on the other side, your new life there as well." His words echoed in her mind. "Decide; you have two minutes. In that time, clean yourself up. If you do not then you can walk back by yourself."

Byakuya promptly let go of her hand, exposing her warm sweaty hand into the cold air. He walked on towards the light, his black hair beginning to lift from his shoulders as a gentle breeze flittered through. She watched quietly as he moved further and further away, and her thoughts began to grow frantic. She didn't know what to do.

Glancing over her shoulder and seeing the dark abyss behind that led back to Konoha, an overwhelming fear festered in her and she swallowed quickly, a lump in her throat. "Captain Kuchiki! Wait!"

* * *

"You scared me there, Billboard Brow," Ino sighed dramatically, flicking her bang out of her eye.

Sakura ruefully shrugged, running a shaky hand through her hair as she scoped the environment around her. Since leaving the Tunnel, she and the other had been surrounded by white; white walls and floor as far as the eye can see. There were several small garden areas framing the side walk but other than that, Soul Society was already peaceful like. However, despite the peaceful sensation, as soon as she joined the rest of the group, she felt self-conscious, half wishing to hide behind Captain Kuchiki and half wishing to run back into the dark escape of the Tunnel.

She stayed though, standing in the group, feeling a little awkward but sure of her decision; her dried tears on her cheeks just served to remind her that she was there for herself, to change. And while she couldn't change it—she glanced at Byakuya who was talking briefly to Hitsugaya—she knew that the Captain had a point, something she didn't want to admit.

Her leaving home would always weigh on her heart and she couldn't change that. Maybe if...

"Hey, Ino."

"Hmm?" The blonde raised a finely plucked eyebrow curiously.

Sakura hooked her fingers together in front of her stomach, shifting her weight between her feet. "What do you think about... what you've chosen to do?" She lifted her gaze to watch her friend's reaction.

Her response was almost immediate. Her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pursed. "I miss home, Sakura. I do. And I miss Shikamaru and Chouji and my parents but I'm positive about this. I don't doubt my decision one bit. I'm here for myself and for them." She lightened her expression. "Why?"

The pinkette smiled, swaying a little. "Nothing, really. Just wanted to know your point of view."

"Well." She put her hands on her hips, shrugging. "You got it. Mind answering your own question?"

"Uh, I'm positive about it too."

"Really? It didn't seem like it."

Sakura flinched unnoticeably. "Well, not before I wasn't but..."

"Ohhh," Ino smiled knowingly, making Sakura blush. She wagged a finger in her friend's face and silently 'tutting' her. "Better be careful, Sakura. He's in the big league."

"Shut up, Ino-pig!" Sakura whacked Ino's hands away from her face, giggling anyway but blushing.

"What did he say to you?"

The pinkette closed her mouth instantly, mirth gone from her face as she examined Ino's and noticed that she was serious with the question. Sakura didn't particularly want to answer the question but knew that Ino wouldn't let go of it so easily. It was Ino's nature to be a gossiper after all; she loved knowing things that not everyone would know.

Sighing and shaking her head, Sakura giggled superficially. "Some... stuff..." her voice broke, "...that helped me with my decision."

"How are you?" Ino suddenly asked.

Sakura raised her brow, slight fear etched into her skin. "What?"

"With how Naruto reacted."

She went cold instantly, Sakura's eyes widening at those words and quickly drooping as guilt flooded her bulk. Ino was whispering something in an apologetic tone but Sakura wasn't listening, not wanting to talk to her friend anymore. She just had to bring it up, didn't she? She had no tact, did she?

"Grow up, Sakura."

Said girl snapped her head up, guilt still throbbing in her heart, staring Ino in the eyes cautiously. Ino's blue orbs were narrowed at her though there was something else behind them that somehow softened her words a little.

"I shouldn't talk either, as I miss my teammates but... I'm not falling apart." Sakura watched her lips, mesmerised as those words left her mouth. "Show some of that strength I know you have. I mean, I know you showed it by stepping into the light but..." she frowned, "...show some of that strength that you proved you had during the Chuunin Exams."

"But..." Sakura swallowed, shivering. "...but I had something to fight for then."

Ino snorted. "What am I? Miso Soup?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head, her blonde looks dangling against her shoulder. "You'll fit in here, Sakura. I can feel it." She squeezed the pinkette's upper arm encouragingly, something that Sakura responded to with a weak smile.

"I hope so."

"You will."

"Gyah!" Ino and Sakura yelped, whipping around and jumping back at the intruding voice. They clutched their hearts at the same time and gaped at seeing the casual expression of Hitsugaya, his arms crossed and eyebrows raised at their reaction.

"How amusing," he mused.

Ino frowned while Sakura merely smiled, feeling something bubble within her chest. Her blonde friend raised a fist and shook it at the short shinigami. "You scared us, Mini-sized hottie!" she steamed, cheeks red.

Sakura paused, the bubbling still occurring in her throat, as she wondered for those few seconds how to react and how Hitsugaya would as well. His expression morphed to annoyance as soon as he heard the comment about his height but then faltered in his retort as soon as he heard the rest of her sentence. That alone made her laugh, and Sakura felt the bubble rise to her throat and come out as a cackle.

She clung to the nearest person to her, who was somehow Tenten—and she looked absolutely torn between laughing herself and showing respect that she knew a Captain deserved.

The whole ordeal—and whatever Ino's punishment might have been—was blown over as Aizen approached the group and said, "It's time to move on."

Anticipation bloomed in Sakura's chest as the group of ex-ninja took another step closer to the first meeting with all the shinigami.

* * *

It was hard to believe that this man, this man she was now following back to his division, was just hours ago helping her take a step towards her new future. She couldn't take her eyes off his broad back; it was like she was mesmerised for some reason. She watched his black hair bounce on his scapulas and around his shoulders and listened to the fluttering of his hoari against his legs. It was just... hard to believe that Byakuya Kuchiki was her new Captain.

Sakura swallowed, feeling the lump in her throat as she did so. And at the same time, she tightened her fingers around the small object in her palm and she managed to tear her gaze from her new sensei's back to stare dazedly at the black skull on the golden metal in her palm. Yamamoto, the Captain-Commander, had said that this device would help her and the others in their training, by changing them into shinigami—substitute shinigami.

The thought both excited her and unnerved her.

She'd be starting her training soon, and as she glanced back up at his figure, she felt a shiver travel through her bones. What were his methods? What was he going to be like? What would their relationship be?

For some reason this question was something she wanted the answer to the most. She knew that eventually she'd experience his methods of training soon enough but what would their relationship be? Just a bond between teacher and student or would it be more than that? Or less?

It scared her for some reason; and she realised that she was already dependant on him; her new Captain.

Sakura shook her head, ignoring the wood on her feet as she stepped rhythmically behind him, making sure to absentmindedly remember where she was going to find a way back.

It was not just her future she wondered about; though, of course, it was the thing that interested her the most. There were also the others.

Ino was placed in Division 13. Her Captain was a sickly pale, something she curled her lip to, but his long hair and pointed face was something that Ino—and Sakura, to an extent—couldn't deny was somehow handsome. This, at least, kept Ino entertained, or would for a while. Unfortunately, they both found out all too soon that he really was a sick man but it didn't douse Ino's hopes too much.

"I'll just play Nurse," she had grinned, holding up a finger and then twirling her fringe around it. Sakura just shook her head, giggling at the male-obsessed female. It didn't matter how Ino acted, Sakura knew that she wished to be in a different Division, and the pinkette had, as soon as Ino was announced to be in Division 13, looked in the direction of Captain Aizen. He was already worth something to her blonde friend, just like Byakuya was to her.

It was weird how quickly they all got attached.

Tenten ended up in the 11th Division, under the command of a freakishly tall man that spilled a deadly and menacing aura nonstop. Sakura's hair was raised the entire time they were in the meeting, and both she and Ino had shifted as far away as they could away from the grinning shinigami; by this point she had noticed that Kiba and Akamaru were sniffing the air curiously.

Sakura had no idea how well Tenten would do in that mad Division, but she could tell that the Captain—Captain Kenpachi—was most definitely melee-orientated, something that the weapon's mistress would excel in.

Speaking of Kiba, his placement was most surprising actually. He got into 1st Division, surprising many of the ninja and the Captains as well—it seemed that not many of them had known where they would be placed. Kiba was stoked, gaping like a fish and shuddering before hesitantly puffing out his pride by expanding his chest. Yamamoto hadn't explained anything, even after the other Captains had queried about the placement.

Kiba's spot in the 1st Division was a mystery, and something that interested Sakura immensely.

Neji was put into Division 10, with the short Captain that Sakura felt even more was angry with her, or just disliked her for no reason. She was glad she wasn't in that Division, as the boy scared the crap out of her, ever since they had left Konoha not long ago. Nonetheless, Neji seemed satisfied with his placement, eyeing the white-haired shinigami carefully before finding that he was a decent teacher for him—the same thing happened vice versa.

Ino had jokingly said that that Division was going to be "Ice cold" all the time now, only to be told by a chuckling Gin that Hitsugaya's element was ironically ice.

Sai was put into 2nd Division with Captain Soi Fon. This ninja was a mystery to not only her but everyone else. Soi Fon had seen him train back in Konoha and he was not placed on the list, which was even more suspicious with why he was allowed to come—and why Danzo enforced it. Trying to understand the hidden underlie of politics gave her a headache and Sakura couldn't help but think that training may actually help her straighten out her thoughts.

Speaking of which, when would they begin?

"In due time, Haruno," Byakuya tonelessly responded, not even looking over his shoulder.

"Oh, did I say that out loud?" Sakura asked without thinking. She slapped her forehead, hoping that he wouldn't have heard her though knew that he definitely did. This time he did glance over his shoulder and eyed her shortly but did not say anything. Sakura got the hint. Useless questions were not going to be answered, accident or no. She could already tell that he would be a strict teacher and she had a feeling she had better prepare herself for it.

He was going to go hard—it made her skin crawl with just imagining the brute force he'd display to train her.

She gulped and shivered, fear seeping into her system once more as he turned a corner and into his office; she followed, silently.

"Your training starts today."

That was one of the things she did not want to hear just yet. She only just arrived in her new home and already she had to start working. She frowned, hands curled around the sliding door as she peered into his rather empty office—a low desk, several cabinets and this curiously tall one that was a little separate from the rest; she was curious.

"I only just got here," Sakura tried to reason. She knew, though, that talking back wouldn't get her far; maybe.

Byakuya paused in his writing, looking up through long lashes—she was surprised that he had a sort of femininity in his gaze. "Today's lesson would have told me how committed you are to this, and to test you current abilities. I will need to know that before I can work what you know into the skills of a shinigami." He stated it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and it probably was... to a shinigami of course.

Sakura guessed it was in the nature of a ninja to know every single detail about anything, as the smallest detail could be beneficial for any mission; and it didn't matter how ridiculous the question, as long as it was delivered well enough. She failed in that area though.

"Of course," she whispered, head downcast. "How silly of me."

"Indeed." He rose and for someone reason she flinched. Whether it was because he towered over or that he agreed that she was silly, she didn't know; probably both though. "One of the first things you learn when training under me is to not question me."

Sakura's Inner scowled. _**Is he saying that he's always right?!**_

"Yes, Captain Kuchiki." Where was the man who had helped—cruelly—before? Who let her hold his hand?

"Follow me."

It was strange to understand, as she followed her new Captain, that she was going to have to start from scratch once more. But wasn't that what she wanted? A new life, start? It was and she both looked forward to the opportunity and feared it. Her morals were going to change, weren't they? Everything she had learned as a ninja growing up was now going to be different. She could feel it.

But Soul Society looked nice so far. Welcoming, even.

And she felt the sudden rush of excitement speed through her body as she stepped onto the training grounds, the air sweet and fresh as it brushed passed her, playing with her locks and tugging at her ninja clothes.

First there was the display.

He stopped some feet away from her, his penetrating gaze so far but yet managing to tower over her so easily. Sakura swallowed, breathing out calmly as she shifted her feet to the side and spread her arms, making easy access to her current assortment of ninja supplies; her fingers flexed.

It was going to be strange not to have the weight of such weapons on her body later on, she realised. And she eyed the katana at her Captain's waist, picturing herself holding one just like it. She aspired for it then, and she narrowed her green eyes, feeling adrenaline suddenly surge through her lithe bulk as she ran towards him.

The display.

* * *

_I'm not exactly happy with this chapter but it's necessary for character development for Sakura (with her relationship with Byakuya in particular). This chapter is also sorta a set-up for the next chapter as everything is beginning to start, so bear with me... please? =3 I'm so excited as I have so much planned... but I hafta write the stuff in between to get to each of them; the lead up.  
_

_And just to clear some things up: the timeline, up until the end of this chapter, is several months after Sasuke left, so Sakura has __**not **__been trained by Tsunade._

_Also, the pairings... I do not know what they are; they come out as I write. You might think that a certain pairing is going to happen since it seems like that and because it may look like that but there will be twists for the relationships, so try not to assume. =) For example, Aizen is already spinning a web. And please don't ask me if BlahxBlah is going to be a pairing._

_Lastly, my poll is now finished and the winning pair has a oneshot already out. 'Sakura Kisses', a ByakuyaxSakura pairing._

_Thankyou so much for the fantastic support! :D Love each of it and appreciate every review, even if I don't respond to all of them. _

_. I have a BLExNAR forum, so if you're interested, go to my profile to check it out._

_. Please take a look at my other BLExNAR oneshots. _

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or Naruto.  
_

_Please review + give support! Constructive criticism appreciated muchly. Don't be shy. :3_


	9. Beneath The Underneath

FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM  
**~9~**  
"Beneath The Underneath"

* * *

Her muscles were screaming at her to stop moving, and all she did was peer out from under her white blanket and stare curiously at the front door as Ino continued to rap loudly against the wood. Sakura blinked tiredly, twitching her arms and wincing as her limbs yelled at her again.

Nothing was going to get her out of her futon, she decided.

Groaning and dropping her head back onto her white pillow, Sakura folded the blanket back down so that the waning sun could shine on her face. Swallowing, she tilted her head towards the door and coarsely yelled out, "What?!"

"Let us in!" Ino screamed back.

Sakura mumbled under her breath, tensing her legs; again her muscles ached and she instantly relaxed them. As she slightly shifted under her blankets she could feel the bandages that she had stuck and wrapped around various parts of her body, as well as the faint scent of antiseptic. The scent made her a little woozy.

Training was brutal. Period. Every day she came home with at least twenty new bruises and scratches, as well as the painful sensation of tired muscles. Byakuya was ruthless, intent on having her restart her skills from scratch, which he had stated was little to begin with. Two weeks of intense training—along with the number of sessions she spent alone at home trying to speed up the conversion of chakra to spirit energy—seemed like forever but yet she still felt she was getting no where.

This was beginning to piss her off, and despite the fact that she just started training, already she wanted to cry and scream in frustration, particularly in front of Byakuya who was currently her nemesis. Screw his good looks, they were clearly a trap for girls like her.

"No!" Sakura responded after some time. "Stop banging on my door! You're gonna break it!"

She was angry; in pain; hungry and in no mood to meet with her friends and _talk_. She didn't have to think hard to know that Ino had so far got most of her two weeks free, due to the fact that her Captain had been sick—she had trained with the 3rd seats but they were often hovering over their beloved sick Captain to train her properly. Therefore, Ino had had plenty of time to explore a little bit and meet new people. Hence Sakura was scared, predicting an inevitable boy talk.

"Then open it!" was the instant reply.

"Hey, hey," Tenten's calm voice sounded from behind the door as well and Sakura felt her body sag a little when she heard it. The brunette would be able to sort Ino out.

Content with this knowledge, Sakura sighed and closed her stinging eyes, flexing her fingers and toes. Maybe she'd get some peace once more.

A soft click echoed in her small apartment and Sakura snapped her eyes open, lidding them and glaring at her front door as the shadows on the floor moved around. "They're not..." she whispered in irritation, lips curled back as the door knob twisted to the side and the door pushed forward.

Within seconds Ino bounded into the apartment, arms wide and blue eyes bright. "Sakura!" she cheered, spinning around giving Tenten thumbs up before facing the glaring pinkette. Tenten bashfully walked into the room, innocently tucking a bobby pin back into her hair as she approached the bed and put her hands on her hips "Outta bed, Saks!"

Sakura groaned and managed to turn over despite her screaming muscles. "Go away."

Ino pouted. "What's wrong?"

Tenten giggled. "Things difficult for you at the moment?" she queried. Her answer was a curt guttural grunt from beneath the flannelette covers and she shook her head chuckling; Ino merely raised an eyebrow.

Plopping herself on the bed and crossing a leg, Ino placed a confident hand on Sakura's thigh, gently pressing her fingers into the soft surface. "Are you alright?"

"Of course I'm not! My Captain is a jackass, an insensitive snob, thinks I'm nothing but the grime under his foot and on top of that he's making sure that I go home every night with the certainty that I wouldn't be able to move the next day!" Sakura screamed back, causing the two girls to recoil back slightly—Tenten hurriedly closed the door quietly.

Biting her lip, Ino attempted not to retort in kind; so she let out a loud and clearly reluctant sigh. "I'm sure that it will pass," she said in an attempt to be encouraging. Sakura snorted.

"Sakura," Tenten sighed, "he obviously thinks you can handle it, otherwise he wouldn't do it."

"That's what I keep telling myself," the pinkette mumbled. There was a pause. "What did you guys want anyway? It's almost night."

Ino leaned back, resting on her palms. "We were gonna take you to dinner—the others are coming too—but..."

Sakura _hmph'ed_, the covers shifting as she wriggled around. A hollow growl suddenly echoed in the small room and both intruding females couldn't hold back a smile. "Oh. So hungry," the pinkette whined. "In pain." Ino and Tenten leaned in a little closer to hear their friend continue to mumble. "Hate. Captain." Her stomach growled again. "Fooood."

By the time Sakura peered over the top of her covers, Ino was already holding up an outfit, a beam on her face with Tenten standing cheekily beside her. They seriously looked like troublemaking twins. Come to think of it... Sakura side-glanced at her door before looking back to Tenten. Groaning, she dropped her head back into the pillow and sighed.

"Yup. I pick-locked it," the brunette winked.

"Hmm." Sakura peeled open her eyes and cast a reluctant look at the outfit in Ino's hands before trailing her gaze over the excited expression on her friend's face. She caved. "Fine," she breathed and instantly Ino cheered, lugging the pained girl from her bed with the help of Tenten and forcing the trackies and striped t-shirt onto her. Sakura endured the screaming of her body, instead listening to the insistent growl of her stomach. "Hey, Tenten," she started as the three headed for the door, the pinkette wincing with each step.

"Hmm?"

"What is your Captain's methods?"

"Oh." Tenten grinned. "Relentless."

Sakura shivered, preferring not to wonder how the weapon's mistress didn't seem to have a single wound on her body.

* * *

Sakura stared, watching ruefully as Kiba's slouching back and Akamaru's lax tail began to merge into the darkness of the street. Tapping her fingers against her chin and readjusting her elbow that she was leaning on, Sakura flittered her eyes over the rest of the group in worry. They all pretty much held the same expression; the girls that is. Neji was sitting uninterestedly in his seat—though she could tell that he was indeed interested in the matter—while Sai was busy slouching over his sketch book, his hand almost a blur.

Ino ran a hand through her ponytail, shuffling in her seat at the silence. Tired of it, she flung her lock back over her shoulder and crossed her arms, staring at each of the former nins'. "Anyone know what's up with him?" She pointed a fine finger in the direction of Kiba.

"I think we woulda told everybody else before tonight, Ino," Sakura grumbled, her speech deterred thanks to her mouth being half covered.

"Not necessarily." She shook her head. "He may have forced you to swear not to tell anybody."

"Obviously it is something much dire then a simple 'oh, he likes me' secret, Yamanaka," Neji replied monotonously, his eyes once or twice glancing at Sai's sketch pad.

Ino scoffed. "Your point being?"

"A silly secret like that doesn't need to be spread but the well-being of another..."

"...sometimes, Neji, that person may not want everybody else to worry about them, so they don't tell anybody, or limit who they tell to people they trust not to blab," Tenten added in thoughtfully, spinning her knife on the table top. "You better than us should know that." Neji rolled his eyes.

"Something is obviously nagging at Kiba," Sakura mused.

"Duh," Ino and Tenten said simultaneously.

"He's been depressed since we got here and I haven't seen nor heard news of him training or anything. Why aren't they doing anything?" the pinkette continued.

"It is not our business," Sai suddenly spoke, not looking up from his work—and ignoring the surprised expression of the other former-nin.

Neji laced his fingers. "You are in 2nd Division. Happen to hear anything of use about him?"

"Even if I did," Sai began, creating some particularly hard strokes on his pad, "I would not divulge."

Sakura suddenly grabbed him by the collar and yanked him out of his seat, her other hand curled into a fist as she growled at the unresponsive boy. "Whaddaya mean you won't divulge?!"

Sai merely stared at her red face, a slight smile on his lips before he cocked his head calmly to the side and said, "you don't look pretty up close either."

Neji coughed to hold back his laughter and Ino and Tenten gaped at the austerity of his actions before Ino too collapsed back into her chair and snorted loudly, holding her stomach as she lapsed into peels of laughter. Meanwhile, Sakura had narrowed her eyes so much that her pink eyebrows almost hid her apple green eyes. She clenched his collar even tighter than before and reeled him close to her face. "Then take an even closer look," she breathed out. His vacant face was pissing her off even more.

"Haruno, causing more trouble again?" the voice of someone she'd prefer not to face flooded the table. The group looked up, Sakura looking over her shoulder slowly to put off the inevitable moment of looking Renji Abarai in the eyes.

She didn't hate the man but their relationship was... simply put... fiery. There was never a dull moment. Either someone would see them at each others throat or they'd be getting along too well to be real, and that was always entertaining to see. Ino had often pestered the pinkette about there being overflowing chemistry between her and the red-head but Sakura refused to listen, finding the very thought of being romantic with Renji as sickening—they were _only_ friends (if even that), something that Sakura still had to beat into Ino to get the message across.

Reluctantly, the angry female slowly let go of Sai's collar and sat calmly back into her seat, all the while glaring at the red-head approaching the table with a slight sway in his step. "No," she bit out.

Renji nodded in disbelief, putting his hands on the back of Sakura's chair. She straightened, eyes still narrowed but this time staring at Neji opposite of her who had taken on her challenge by staring back. Sakura didn't seem to notice as she ground her teeth. "Hard to believe," the older shinigami responded. "So it's not just me you get really physical with."

The table went silent until Ino and Tenten started to laugh once more. Neji was trying to hide his smile by pretending to itch a spot on his upper lip and Sai was merely smiling at the crimson-faced Sakura who was gripping the table edge so tightly that her skin was turning white. "What is it? 'Pick on Sakura Haruno' day?"

Renji chuckled and patted her shoulder, quickly withdrawing it when she made a grab for it. "I need this later on, Haruno," he said with a cheeky smile, shaking his hand in front of her eyes.

"I don't wanna know what for," Sakura rolled her eyes, the end of her lip slightly twisting up at the anticipation of an angry retort. On cue, Renji growled.

"I'm not that kinda guy," he snarled in her ear, his breath warming her skin.

Sakura looked over her shoulder, the tip of her nose gently touching his before they both recoiled back in surprise, rubbing their nose furiously to rid of the feeling. Ino and Tenten shared a look, the former raising her eyebrows and the latter pointing a knife at the seething twosome soon after. Ino's smile widened and Tenten all but bobbed her head up and down furiously. In the background Neji was watching their silent communication, both trying to pay attention to the current word fight opposite him and the quiet messaging beside him. Groaning, he dropped his head into his palms and side-glanced at Sai.

"I'm glad I'm not a girl," he responded more to himself than to the stoic artist beside him.

Sai paused midstroke. "So I was right."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Right about what?" Did he really want to know?

The black-haired boy lifted his head, a chilling smile on his face as he responded calmly with "you do have a dick."

The Hyuuga froze, his skin turning a slight pink before he quickly glanced at the present girls, hoping—wishing—that they hadn't heard what the boy had just said. Thankful that they weren't paying attention, Neji leaned towards Sai with a furrowed brow, his fingers subconsciously hovering over his knife and fork. "You have no tact."

Sai's face looked as though he wanted to chuckle but the rest of his body didn't. "You don't comment."

"I will not to such low—"

"Food!" Tenten suddenly cheered as their steaming dinner—they were foreign cuisines—was brought before them, the smell smothering the table in a spicy aroma that made their stomachs growl. The brunette-bun girl instantly grabbed her cutlery and attacked her meat while Ino stared at her food in a contemplative manner, thrumming her fingers on either side of the dish. Renji was drooling over Sakura's shoulder at her pick of cuisine and Neji was still glaring at Sai; he, without breaking the locked gaze, grabbed his cutlery.

Amusement seemed to flicker in Sai's onyx eyes and he pointed innocently at the knife and fork already prepared in Neji's hands. "They are mine."

"Gotta scram," Renji's voice sounded in the background and the girls bid him goodnight, though Sakura's was more of a grunt then actual words.

The noble blinked at the mysterious nin then stared back at his plate and at the two neatly placed metals on the other side. Scowling, Neji slapped the knife and fork in his hand together and slammed them—not too loudly—onto the table. Without another word or glance, he began to eat with his own utensils, intent on just ignoring the male sitting next to him. However, the flurry of actions on the other side of him kept stealing his interest, and he sighed, glaring at the brunette before widening his eyes.

"Tenten, don't tell me that your Captain's manners have already rubbed off on you?" he asked, staring in mild surprise at the behaviour of his previous teammate. Said female was wolfishly eating her own food, something she hadn't done in Konoha at all but, he dare say, probably adopted from her current friends in eleventh division.

Sakura and Ino watched in amusement, taking small bites of their own meals. Sai beside them was cutting an animal-like shape out of his steak and rolling several of his peas onto the meat to act as eyes or nostrils. Excitement leaping into Sakura and completely demolishing her previous anger, she leaned closer to him and started to help—Ino watched with interest and apprehension—by shifting his cut carrots into position around the slowly forming head.

"Don't insult my Captain!" Tenten suddenly retorted, waving a hand at the Hyuuga. Neji raised a sceptic eyebrow; though it was partly in disgust as well. Tenten, seeing this, groaned and dropped her hands onto the table. "I'm starving alright. He made me go through this thing where I had to go without eating for two days!"

"What?" Sakura perked up, her knife hovering over Sai's plate—he lightly tapped the metal out of the way. No food? The thought was unbearable considering the pinkette had been eating a heck of a lot lately for reasons she didn't even know. Byakuya had been ruthless, true, but only physically so far. He hadn't yet purposely, or at least knowingly told her that was what he was doing, trained her psyche.

Sakura swallowed. Her Captain probably already knew that she was finding training frustrating and was thus aiding her both physically and mentally—he was probably getting a kick out of it too. She frowned, huffing.

Ino didn't act too surprised though, as she was often on a diet herself... or at least she was trying to get on one. Ever since meeting with her Captain and getting to know him—and his power which left her breathless and her knees like jello, and that was just a smidgen of what he knew—he'd been trying to encourage her to eat more. His third seats weren't letting her off either, often trapping her in their division and pulling her to a meal that was suspiciously set up and ready for her to eat in Ukitake's office. Why his office? She didn't know, but maybe because they wanted to keep both an eye on her—to make sure she ate the food—and on their Captain at the same time.

Reluctantly, Ino did eat but had been training like mad to work off the food, hence her hesitation to eat her meal.

"Why did he do that?" Sakura asked, tucking a strand of pink hair behind her ears and grimacing. Sai nudged her hand out of the way entirely as he continued his art. His hobby no longer of current interest, Sakura leaned in towards Tenten eagerly.

"He says that it's a step in getting strong."

"Speaking of which, why is it that I'm getting my ass-kicked by my Captain but you don't have a single mark on you when you say that your Captain is relentless?"

Tenten shrugged. "I'm used to hardcore training from being a ninja."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. Was that an insult?

The brunette blushed, waving her hands. "I-I didn't mean it like that."

"It is true though," Neji cut in. "During the Chuunin Exams you struck me as the type of girl who didn't focus as much on her training." Sakura grunted and crossed her arms. "You wouldn't be as used to as intense training as Tenten... especially with our team," he added as an afterthought. Sakura couldn't help but nod in agreement; he was right.

"I suppose so."

"Back to your Captain, Tenten..." Neji paused as he took a bite, "...I guess he's not as thick as he looks." He stabbed a shell noodle with the end of his fork. Tenten glared at him.

"He's strong but mainly in brute strength," Sai continued. Sakura started, dropped her knife onto the table and clumsily trying to catch it before it fell to the floor. With her utensil now placed firmly back onto her plate, she absent-mindedly licked the gravy off her fingers while surveying the mysterious nin carefully.

Sai. Did he even know how much he reminded her of Sasuke? But what was it about him that made her feel so irritated by him? He didn't brood as much as the Uchiha did, which Sakura would have claimed to be the point of mystery about Sasuke that she liked but Sai had mystery too, just a different type.

So how did the two differ?

"That face makes you even uglier, Ugly," Sai said with a smile.

Sakura's temple twitched, her brow knitting above her eyes as she cracked her knuckles menacingly; he didn't flinch. Luckily, before the table and its contents went flying...

"Eh, eh eh!" Ino warned, grabbing onto Sakura's shoulder and pulling her back into her chair. She glared at Sakura, who responded with the same kind only directed towards Sai—_wish I could wipe that smirk off his face_—before resting her forearms on the table top. "How do you know?" Ino asked him, trying to get the atmosphere back to normal. She took a sip of her water and pushed back her long fringe, leaning back in her seat as she started to play with Sakura's short hair. Sakura grunted in anger but didn't shoo her off.

Sai looked up from his plate again only to send her a fake smile. Aggravated, Sakura reached across and grabbed him (again) by the collar, her anger from before returning full blast. Neji rolled his eyes, the words "is she on permanent PMS?" waiting on the tip of his tongue but luckily didn't slip off—or he'd be the one on the receiving end of her infamous punches.

"Why do you always give us that same fake smile?!" she screamed in his face, her fringe and spit flying. Tenten waved at the other customers in the shop to not pay attention to them.

"Sakura! Cool it!" Ino snapped, yanking the pinkette back into the seat but not before the pissed former-nin stabbed Sai's plate—right in the nose of the lion face artwork—in the middle with a knife, splitting the clay with a loud _crack!_

The occupants at the table paused—Sakura freezing entirely, sweat already beading her brow—waiting for there to be an uproar from the owners of the restaurant, or at least a screech of annoyance from other customers. Breathing heavily, her body quaking, Sakura lowered herself into her seat, the knife seemingly glued to her hand. She only vaguely noticed when both Neji and Ino both trying to pry her fingers from it and when she relinquished her hold. All she could hear was her heart pounding.

Whoops.

The voices around her blurred a little as she stared miserably at the split white plate, the brown-faced lion with a hole right in the centre of the steak and the carrot that acted as the nose. She watched in embarrassment as the gravy for the meal began to slowly fan away from the clay and stretch further over the table. But despite the fading of all the noise, the footsteps that were approaching their table was as clear as ice.

"What happened here?"

Her shoulders shivering, Sakura meekly looked up through her pink bangs. The waitress next to her towered over her but he was looking across the table at the others. She could see his five o'clock shadow, the thin chin, the prominent cheek bones and—

"You're gonna have to pay for that," he said, pointing at the snapped plate angrily. Tenten had said something, something that Sakura couldn't hear but the response was a vicious shake of the head from the waitress. "I don't care if you're training under the Captain's, you're gonna have to pay for that, and preferably before my Boss finds out."

Sakura felt like an idiot, and she dropped her head into her folded arms that were resting on the table—she made sure that her elbow was far from the pool of creeping gravy.

"We didn't bring enough money to pay for damage costs," Neji responded. Sakura's chest caved a little.

"Well, you're gonna have to find a way."

"Excuse me, I could pay for that."

Sakura's head whipped up at the voice, praying to Kami—wherever he may be despite the fact that she actually resided in heaven—that the deep voice was not her Captain's. Instantly her shoulder sagged in relief at the sight of a man who did not resemble the one she feared. The first thing that caught her eye about this newcomer—and saviour—was the '69' tattooed below his left eye and the blue thick strip above it and stretching over his nose. The 'Cutie alert' bell went off in her mind instantly, and despite the situation, Sakura exchanged a look with Ino.

"That is not necessary, Hisagi," another much deeper voice cut in and Sakura saw another man come up beside the other. He had some sort of glasses of his eyes and a bright orange rope or cloth wrapped around his neck with the bow sticking out at the back. She knew who this was, having seen him briefly during the meeting two weeks ago but she couldn't remember his name, just that he was a Captain.

This Hisagi paused. "But Captain Tousen—"

"They should take better care of what does not belong to them."

"I'll pay for it." This time a feminine voice broke in.

_It's like throwing ball,_Sakura mused.

A hand was wrapped around Hisagi's biceps, thin fingers squeezing the limb lightly. He glanced behind before he moved to the side, revealing a rather short female garbed in shinigami robes. Her navy-purple hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, only a little hair spouting out, and her baby-like face was framed by curved bangs, her light coloured eyes emphasised by the dark locks hovering above them.

The sight of the girl was staggering, something akin to a bulldozer running rampant in a city was how it felt to all the former-nins as they stared in absolute shock and horror.

It was Hinata.

Air vacated her body in a rush, like icing being squeezed out through a funnel, leaving Sakura scrambling for breath. Her fingers somehow started to grip the table edge so tightly that her nails were digging into the wood and creating shavings. It was painful but no doubt hardly as painful as what Neji must have felt. In a second Sakura darted her eyes in his direction, her heart pounding madly on her ribcage, only to find his seat empty.

"Hinata?!" Ino's ear-shattering scream staggered through Sakura and before she got the chance to respond in annoyance, a brown blur whizzed passed her and the female Hyuuga was tackled to the floor—Hisagi teetered as he was pushed aside. Tenten was straddling the mousy girl, hugging her so tightly that Hinata's baby face was beginning to shift blue. "Move Tenten!" Shooting from her seat and nudging passed Sakura, the waitress and Hisagi once more, Ino repeated the brunette ninja's action.

Captain Tousen faced Sakura and Sai, the two who were seemingly the most calm. With a curt indication with his hand to the blubbering mess of emotional girls on the restaurant floor, he asked with an uninterested tone "I assume you are friends?"

Swallowing the lump in her throat as Sai shook his head, Sakura nodded, breathing remaining a chore. "She was... a friend back home." She wouldn't cry. She didn't want to. But then she realised that she couldn't. Despite seeing Hinata Hyuuga in the flesh, Sakura didn't feel her eyes sting, she didn't feel the build up of water behind them.

This scared her. She had always known that she was quite an emotional person and the simplest things had tended to evoke any reaction from her, so it would have been safe to assume that seeing a dead friend alive would have certainly ripped something from her. But it didn't.

This made her feel awkward as she watched the three girls hug. And in the back of her mind, she wondered what was missing.

It hit her when she gazed at Sai to see his response and she was reminded that Neji had suddenly disappeared.

Yes. Maybe it was his reaction, or lack thereof (however it was wanted to be perceived) that gnawed at her more than it was suppose to.

Hinata was tended for, the other two giving her attention. Don't get her wrong, Sakura was glad to see the female back but at the moment... now it was Neji who needed the support, even if he didn't want it.

Determination kicked in like a car rearing to life. Sakura stood confidently, eyebrows shadowing over her green, fiery eyes, and hopefully unnoticed she left the restaurant, tailing after the missing Hyuuga.

* * *

After her muscles started screaming at her again from so much running, Sakura finally found him.

He was sitting on the roof of his apartment, gazing ruefully at the night sky above him. The stars winked at him alternatively, making it look as though he was sparkling. The mere description sounded cheesy, and Sakura had to remind herself that no matter how much the night seemed to suit him (and somehow make him look more attractive) she had a mission to do.

Steeling herself, the pinkette clambered up the wall before she finally set foot on the tiled roof, her shoes clanking loudly against the clay. Neji glanced in her direction briefly before he stared back up at the moon, visibly putting more weight onto his back hands.

Clearing her throat casually, Sakura sat as quietly as she could beside him, folding her jacket over her chest and tucking her hands into the pockets to keep warm. It was rather chilly, something that Ino hadn't accounted for when she was picking Sakura's outfit; the jacket was rather thin. She stayed silent as well, just waiting. At the moment he gave off the aura that he wanted her to scram but she wouldn't do that; she'd meet him halfway by just keeping her mouth closed.

Eventually, as the minutes ticked by, his tense aura began to go lax and it was as though his personal shield was lowering for just a second. Sakura wondered if it was alright to talk but felt that even the slightest peep might make the shield spring back up. So she stayed and watched him for a little longer, occasionally glancing up at the sky if some particularly large flashing light caught her eye.

It was only when a white streak darted across the sky did Sakura scream and suddenly latch onto Neji's arm, jabbing a finger into the air and waving it excitedly. "Look! A shooting star! Quick! Make a wish!" She tugged at his limb like a doll.

"What?"

"Quick!"

Her lit eyes watched with interest as Neji sighed in reluctance and closed his eyes. She felt the muscles in his arm suddenly disappear and it was only then did something catch her interest. She narrowed her eyes to take a closer look without leaning in, and she curiously noted that the light from above was shimmering against something on his cheek. And as she peered closer, she realised what it was.

He had been crying.

Admiration filled her like water spilling into a bucket and before she could stop herself she had flung her arms around his neck and pulled him into a sudden embrace. He flinched, the attack catching him off guard, but he didn't relax. He remained stiff as he stared in one spot. Sakura didn't care though as she tightened her hold on him, this time relishing in the tears that began to fill her eyes; tears of happiness.

He didn't even have to say anything at all for her to get the message, something that he was probably embarrassed about—since she had seen the tears—but something that he was also relieved about. He wouldn't have to try to express how he felt with actual words; he was never good at it to begin with, and he found the whole thing rather ridiculous.

Sakura giggled just thinking about it, not realising that Neji was rolling his eyes at the sound.

She felt a little lighter somehow.

And she had learned something about Neji that he wouldn't have ever wanted the world to know.

That he had missed Hinata terribly and was happy she was alive.

* * *

_Knock knock._

Whoever it was was going to lose their position as a shinigami and be kicked back into the Academy. Who the heck still visited people at this hour?

That was at least what Byakuya had wanted to mumble but his upbringing forced him to hold back such complaints.

It was still night, perhaps in the wee hours of the morning. If he looked out his window he would have just been able to see the birth of a new day but he was much too tired to even glance out of it. Groaning, Byakuya rose fluidly from his bed and began to steal his way to the door, running a hand absent-mindedly through his long black hair—he also fiddled with his loose shirt, making it tidier.

_Rap rap rap!_

His eye twitched.

They were going to get it.

Taking his time, Byakuya opened the door, prepared to give the offending person a glare of a lifetime but he found himself rather surprised to see pearl-like eyes doing the exact same to him, some sort of determination and irritation behind them. "Hyuuga," Byakuya greeted, trying not to let his exhaustion and annoyance seep into his tone. He had a feeling the Hyuuga could tell anyway.

The brunette was still in the clothes he had worn to dinner, and considering what had transpired since then, they were also quite creased and slightly dirty. He didn't seem to mind though, so neither would Byakuya.

On cue, Neji nodded in response. "Good morning, Captain Kuchiki."

"Oh? It's morning?"

Neji fought the urge to roll his eyes but he knew that he shouldn't in the presence of a superior. "I'm aware of the time and I give my humblest apologies but..." he didn't know what to say next.

Byakuya's hold on the side of the door loosened as he studied the Hyuuga carefully. He was going to ask how he got into the Kuchiki compound but figured that that question would go better unasked. And he had a feeling that Sakura would have told Neji where the compound was as well. "Is there something you want?"

Neji straightened and curtly bowed 90 degrees, his brown hair flipping over his head haphazardly. "Please, I would like to talk to you."

This was interesting.

Byakuya paused before he said "come in."

* * *

Neji felt uncomfortable as soon as he passed the threshold. Part of it was no doubt due to the fact that he was actually standing in a Captain's house, a nobleman's house, but most of the anxiety was because he knew he was intruding, even if the Captain was trying to hide his displeasure.

Removing his shoes at the genkan and stepping into white slippers provided, the Hyuuga quietly stole after Byakuya, his head slightly downcast so that he was staring at the others heels. His skin was crawling, the atmosphere chilly but fresh. At the tatami mats Byakuya gestured to the table positioned in the middle of the white floor, its surface gleaming with shine and care. He seemed to know what Neji was there for and uncharacteristically began preparing some sort of concoction, a sweet smelling tea, as Neji seated himself at the table, crossing his legs.

It was awkward watching the Captain complete everyday tasks, his back shifting as he reached for tea cups and kettle, and it was just as awkward watching the tall, slender man sit down opposite the Hyuuga and pour him some of the mouth-watering liquid. The steam wafted in his face, making Neji's heart pound as he came to his senses properly and realised that he had to keep his composure, that he had to remain formal, and that anything he could say may be of a nuisance to the Captain at this hour. It was daunting as he ran the topic of their future conversation through his mind and that it may be a pathetic thing to talk about but... he needed peace of mind.

As the tea reached the brim of his cup, Byakuya passed the kettle to him and Neji poured for the Captain, the silence slowly getting to him.

The silence continued as they drank.

"You have met with 9th Division's Hinata Hyuuga," Byakuya stated first, his deep vocals instantly filling the small room.

Neji raised his eyes to meet the others but he looked away quickly. "How did you know?"

"You have no other reason to meet with me, except to discuss the first time we met, which conveniently relates back to your cousin as well."

"Yes." Neji placed his cup back onto the table and stared at the contents, running his previous encounter with Sakura through his mind. It had been sort of... sweet... to know that someone knew how he felt about Hinata returning but it was also strange. He was not accustomed to people knowing what he was thinking or feeling but at the current moment, he felt like an open book; naked, exposed. "Can you... Captain Kuchiki..." he released a short gust of air, "...please explain the process of transferring a soul to Soul Society?"

Neji refilled Byakuya's empty cup. "I am actually surprised to hear that she recognised you and your friends."

"What do you mean?" the former-nin asked.

"When a soul is transferred to Soul Society, overtime they gradually lose memories of their past but your friend, Miss Hyuuga, remembers you. A mystery. This has not gone unnoticed by the other Captain's."

"Why do they lose their memories?"

"...starting a new life, perhaps. Would you want to remember the old?"

Neji paused. "Depends." He took another gulp. "What happened to Hinata as soon as she arrived here?"

"I'm not the one you should ask, Neji Hyuuga," was the reply. "And I don't think that's the question you really wanted to ask."

Neji smiled in apology. "I don't know why I came here. I was with... Sakura before—" the slight raise of Byakuya's eyebrow wasn't lost to Neji as he continued, "—I suddenly remember the time at the cemetery. When you appeared and, without breaking eye contact with Shikamaru and I, nudged the end of your Zanpakuto in the air. I could..." he sighed, dropping his head and re-wrapping his fingers around the tea cup. He was gifted with words with almost anything but to portray his feelings. And he also wondered why he was even trying to do that with a Captain, let alone someone he hardly knew.

The thought sounded even more ridiculous the more he thought about it.

"You are here..." Byakuya stopped mid sentence to refill Neji's cup, "...to find rest. I am like you, Neji Hyuuga; the rules and pride of the clan thrust upon me, among... other matters... has resulted in the suppression of many other things. You were unsettled with your cousin's death but grew accustomed to it, even adopting some of her traits as a way to keep her home." Neji turned slightly white in embarrassment; Byakuya smirked. "And with the sudden news that you can see her again, talk to her like she was never killed... you do not know what to do with yourself... how to act. You are lost."

His words seemed like gold, water to a thirsty man, and Neji lapped it up, the tingling sensation in his fingertips telling him that Byakuya was indeed on the right road.

A complete stranger... was guessing him correctly.

Neji recoiled back in sudden disgust, earning him a narrowed and pointed look from the Captain. But Neji didn't know how to respond. His mind felt like mush, mud. He couldn't discern his thoughts properly. Once upon a time he could decide things clearly and with ease but since the attack on Konoha... he had become much more indecisive.

"If I was going down the wrong road, Hyuuga, you could have merely told me," Byakuya's voice appeared in his mind, jostling Neji from his jumbled thoughts.

The startled and sweating brunette bowed his head, lavender eyes gazing into the steaming tea right below his nose. The white smoke rose into his face, warming his skin and making it easier to breathe. "No," he whispered. "It's not that. You..." it pained him to say it, "you are right... so far."

How could he know though?

"Sometimes an outside observer is needed to see things within. Don't you agree?" Byakuya said, his tone almost hinting a smile before he sipped from his cup.

"How..." Neji gripped his head tightly with both hands, "...how do you fix it?"

"With time."

"I feel like I'm losing my mind. I feel like I don't have time."

Byakuya sighed, resisting the urge to massage his temple. After a moment's silence, he elevated his head to stare down at the confused brunette, lacing his fingers together smoothly as he rested his elbows either side of his tea. "Tell me, when I allowed your cousin and that boy's father passage to Soul Society... what did you feel?"

"I felt..." he squeezed his eye closed, trying to think back to that moment, trying to formulate the right words and muster up the courage to say it. "I felt like darkness had suddenly stolen me. Like I was drowning in it. Cold."

"And then when you met your cousin recently... you saw the light."

His head was beginning to hurt. "Yes."

"So tell me, why are you afraid of the light?"

Neji raised his head to meet Byakuya's gaze, the question swimming in his mind.

* * *

Sakura groaned as she lifted herself from her futon, her pyjama top that was previously exposing her belly during the night unrolling down to hide it now. She stretched, wincing when she felt her muscles yell in protest, and then ran a hand through her tussled pink hair, her thumb feeling the length of it. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and yawned, blinking tiredly at the sun that shone through the high window.

It was at least late morning.

Her green eyes suddenly widened. "Shit!" she screamed, zooming out of bed and quickly dressing. "Training, training, training, training," she chanted as she ran a brush through her hair and washed her face, swinging her sugary locks into a bun atop her head.

Without another look at her home, or even the thought of packing up her bed, Sakura fled from her hovel, her feet thumping against the wooden boards and no doubt waking her new neighbours. Who cared about _their_ wrath?! She was more concerned about the wrath of her Captain!

* * *

Sakura's eye twitched and she stomped her feet quietly on the ground in growing irritation as the Lieutenant of her Division continued to talk... and talk and talk and talk. She had met Ginjiro before but to think that Byakuya actually ordered him to train her was appalling. She wanted to learn from the more evil trainer! The one that actually made bleed and blister and send her into such high frustration that she could scream and cry and curse at him...

...what the heck was she thinking?

She halted tapping her finger against her cheek as realisation kicked in. Her Lieutenant would be undoubtedly easier on her, especially since he seemed more concerned about the fact that she didn't own a pair of sunglasses and was currently finding one that suited her, not even noticing that she wasn't listening.

_Thankyou Captain Kuchiki!_ Inner Sakura praised. She then punched the air, flames exploding from her eyes. _Now let's kick some Lieutenant butt!_

She had never felt so alive.

* * *

She had never felt so dead.

Her muscles ached the entire walk home, and the newly formed blisters on her fingers stung whenever she so much as twitched. She had a massive headache from trying to put so much energy into her attacks, and no doubt a lot of that energy was put into attempting to convert her chakra; another reason why she was more than ready to collapse into her bed.

"Whoever said that that Lieutenant was a pushover?" she mumbled to herself as she dragged her feet, her arms limp by her side. During her mutterings, Sakura caught sight of a mop of straight black hair and then the pale skin of the only ninja that could piss her off so much. She straightened, wondering what Sai was sketching from that position in the rafters of the building.

She twirled around, trying to find anything remotely interesting on the street but it was bare, simply white as far as the eye could see—save for the simple shops on the side and the red-painted entrance to Fifth Division a little more down the way. Aside from her and Sai, there were also several bunches of shinigami but other than that... nothing of interest.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Sakura sucked in a breath and approached him, leaping up to the rafters to sit beside him. He ignored her at first, which she didn't mind too much considering she was trying to lessen the sudden pain she felt surging through her body.

_Idiot thing to do, Sakura! _She bit her bottom lip, tilting her head in the opposite direction from him so that he wouldn't see her contorted face.

As soon as the pain lessened, Sakura looked back and gazed at his sketch book, seeing a slowly growing picture as Sai's quick, even strokes began to build. She tried to see where his eyes were looking and found that he was looking repeatedly at a group of shinigami standing by the entrance of the Fifth Division.

Sakura quirked an eyebrow. Why there?

As she sat there and watched him work, the figure of who he was drawing began to take shape and as soon as she realised the bun on the back of the person's head, she instantly knew who he was drawing. Directing her gaze back to the group, her eyes soaked in the small, frail form of the brunette female chatting to two other men—one with red hair (Renji, she noted) and the other blonde.

Now she was even more curious.

"Uh, Sai... why that girl?" Sakura finally asked.

The ninja artist regarded her presence for the first time in the last fifteen minutes. But what was she seriously expecting from him? An actual answer? No, he just smiled, but his lips parted just in time. "I capture moments and ponder on them later."

Sakura veered her eyes to the side, half taking in the small girl. "Okay... what about her do you want to ponder?"

"The same reason I've been drawing you."

The pinkette froze, chills exploding on her skin as she stared at him wide-eyed; she tried to fight the blush crawling onto her cheeks. "Uh... um..."

He chuckled, closing his eyes. "I'd rather—"

"My, my, this is interesting."

Sakura screamed at the sudden appearance of the slithery voice behind her and she almost toppled forwards but Sai's pale hand suddenly latched onto her sleeve and pulled her upright just in time. Adrenaline raced through her body, her heart pounding. Enraged, Sakura glared over her shoulder, only having to force herself to soften her gaze when she realised it was Gin Ichimaru, the man who Kakashi thought was... unsafe. The current menacing grin on his face just seemed to reinforce her teacher's statement.

"I—" she stopped herself short when she realised that he was not looking at her but at Sai. She raised an eyebrow.

"I do not think that Captain Aizen will take too kindly to his precious Lieutenant being stalked," Gin said.

"Look who's talking," Sakura retorted before she could stop herself.

Ichimaru inclined his head towards her, his hand holding into the wooden pole slightly gripping tighter. "Ne, you look good dirty, Blossom."

"Don't call me 'Blossom'!" she screamed right off the bat, spit flying everywhere. She chose to ignore the... meaning of the remark. Her face went red nonetheless.

"Tut tut. Manners."

Sakura huffed, deciding to ignore the Captain. Who cared if he was eye candy? So was her own Captain but he was a complete ice cube... only better looking and with a mouthwatering scent. She coughed to remove her thoughts.

From then on, she ignored the two 'Smilers' behind her but when she looked back over at them, she couldn't help by sigh at the painful sight of them smiling at each other. She groaned and buried her face.

It was embarrassing to be sitting there.

"Look, _Clowns_, I'm going to leave before a chuckling competition begins, m'kay?" she sent them a sickly sweet smile. They didn't budge.

However, as soon she rested her palms on the wood to push herself off, Gin suddenly dropped to the ground, landing gracefully onto the dirt without a word. He did send Sai a look that seemed to be filled with some sort of meaning, though it was all coded in some sort of way that only the emotionless could decipher.

Sakura did notice, however, that Sai was watching the 2nd Captain walk away with an out of character expression on his face. Flicking some mud-caked hair out of her face, she tilted her head curiously to the side. "What was—"

"I've given you no reason to trust me—" she softened her eyes at his tone and lack of insult, "—but please take my advice when I say not to get involved with that man, in any shape or form."

The way Sai spoke was just plain creepy but she felt a sort of foreboding sensation suddenly gather in her chest nonetheless. He was the second person who had said that to her, to be careful of Gin Ichimaru.

Now she was getting a little scared.

* * *

_Phew, long chapter. Things are getting there. XD Yay! I hope you liked it even though it was sort of low on action. Apologies for Sakura's attitude. She was angry and in pain beforehand so she was quick to get pissed. I sort of like the Neji, Byakuya scene as well. :3 Hinata returning was probably... predictable but there are other secrets in store, many in fact. :D  
_

_Ahem, anyway, I hope you enjoyed. _

_THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT! Kisses to all of you! Seriously! And hugs! Mwah! XD XD I love you guys.  
_

_. I have a new poll now**. Which BLExNAR story should I post next?** I have some summaries on there (no stealies!) and I'd like you to vote for two. XD_

_. Take a look at my other BLExNAR oneshots._

_. I have a BLExNAR forum as well, so if you want to discuss whatever, or rant and so on, head there! You are more than welcome!_

_Please give support and concrit. :3_

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or Bleach—if I did, I would have changed how Naruto was turning out. _


	10. The Seeds

FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM  
**~10~  
**"The Seeds"

* * *

Senbonzakura sliced past her midriff, nicking her black robe as she shifted to the side, successfully dodging the full brunt of the blow. She bit her lip, twisting the hilt of the practise katana in her hands and then bringing it up under Senbonzakura. The blade disappeared, and on instinct Sakura dropped to the ground, missing a midsection swipe from behind. Swiftly, she leapt forward, away from Byakuya as he took another blow down; the tip of his katana tilled the soil due to the miss. Wiping sweat from her cheek and puffing loudly, Sakura re-gripped the hilt of her katana, water accumulating in her palms as she waited, watching her Captain analyse her several feet away.

Steeling herself, her nerves smoothing, Sakura sprung forward, keeping low to the ground as she swung her blade upside. As predicted, she was blocked and now had his strength pushing down onto her. She winced, feeling her muscles stretch as she gritted her teeth. Swiftly she swung her leg in circle, hoping to catch on his legs but only feeling thin air as the weight suddenly disappeared.

Prepared for it, Sakura penetrated the soil deeply with her katana and used it to lift herself up as she raised her leg. Almost on instinct, she kicked forward, feeling her foot suddenly sink into soft flesh. She heard Byakuya grunt while a painful spasm jolted up her leg at the same time. Without skipping a beat, Sakura released her blade, grabbed her Captain's collar and slammed her head onto his.

A loud crack and a sharp dull throb echoed madly in her mind as she whispered a moan, and so did he. Just as she curled her spare hand into a fist and prepared to sling it at him, Byakuya caught it with ease, lifting his head to stare her right in the eyes. Blood trickled from the wound on his forehead, tracing his eye and cheek bone. His grey orbs were steely, glaring at her. Sakura's breath lodged in her throat for a second before she narrowed her brow even more, twisting her body to the side so that she could deliver a blow to the gut. As quick as lightning, Sakura was on her back, Byakuya hovering above her with Senbonzakura pointed at her. She released a disappointed breath of air and slowly put her hands back down.

Damn. She lost. Though seeing the annoyed expression on his face was victory enough for her.

"How did I do?" she asked after several gasps of air, her chest continuing to expand and contract but at a lesser speed.

Byakuya's pointed and penetrating gaze tilted towards her more than before. "A number of things, Sakura," he said, his voice slightly tired. She dropped her head back, already anticipating what he was going to say. "One, we are training with katana to allow you perfected use of a Zanpaku-to in the near future." Sakura sighed, green eyes tracing over the strewn clouds in the sky. "Instead of using hand-to-hand, I suggest using the blade. You have skill with it now, so use it."

She swallowed, clenching her hands. "Anything else?"

"Two, do not let the fact that you managed to wound me get to your head." Sakura giggled. "You should know that I downplayed my skill so you could have that chance." She narrowed her eyes. "Thirdly..." he paused. She propped her head up to meet his gaze. He sheathed his katana. "...you ninja are underestimated."

Sakura let her head drop before she snapped it back up in shock and then springing to her feet. She approached him cautiously, hands out at the ready, just in case someone would jump out at her and scream April Fool's. "What?" she whispered.

Byakuya almost seemed to roll his eyes and that was enough to send Sakura into excited squeals. Overconfidence and bravery flooded her as she flung her arms around his neck and giggled in his ear. Just as quickly she was pushed off and he was halfway back to the entrance of the training grounds; she swore she could see a slight limp in his step.

This didn't change her mind as she caught up to him and grinned. "Come on! Say it again, Captain!"

"I did not say anything, Haruno," was his monotonous reply. She vaguely noted the use of her last name.

She nudged him but his facial expression didn't change. "Yes you did. Say it again."

"Say what?"

"You know what." She paused in front of him and imitated his voice badly, quoting him. "'Thirdly, you ninja are underestimated.'" Sakura nudged him again as he stalked passed; he wiped his brow to rid of the blood.

"You know what I said so why do I need to say it again?" It was rhetorical.

"How often does Captain Kuchiki compliment me?"

"I did not compliment you."

"Yes, you did. Don't deny it."

"I assure you I am not. I merely said that your former race cannot afford to be underestimated."

"Well, that sounded like a compliment to me and what did you mean by it anyway?"

Byakuya stopped, almost making Sakura collide into him at the sudden halt. He side-glanced at her, which she responded to with an innocent, cheeky smile. There was a pregnant pause before the nobleman stiffly responded, his voice hinting that he knew she wouldn't let it go so easily if he continued to avoid it. "You ninja, despite having to convert your entire energy, are able to adapt rather quickly and are still able to retain some of your past physical abilities... this includes speed."

Sakura shrugged meekly, mentally giving herself the 'V' sign. "Well, we have all the pre-requisites and geez, if you thought that was fast, you shoulda seen Lee, he's like ten times faster."

"Then you have a long way to go still." She snapped her mouth shut, resisting the urge to pout. "You have improved, yes—but... what you're skilled in in one area of shinigami training, you lack in the others."

She raised an eyebrow, unsure where he was going with this.

Byakuya's eyes flickered away from hers for a moment before resting back on her apple green ones once more. "I'm expecting a lot from you, Sakura Haruno. Do not disappoint me."

With that he left, leaving behind a suddenly curious Sakura who was beginning to feel a burden get a whole lot heavier, and this burden was making her shoulders ache tremendously; and literally. She sighed and rolled her shoulder, flexing her calloused fingers as she reached to grip her practise blade and skilfully managing to swing it with ease, while spinning with the flow.

She didn't like the way he said that. It made her a little worried now. What if she couldn't live up to his standards which were now even higher than before? What if she did disappoint him? What would he do? What would _she_ do? The thought unnerved her and she felt her body suddenly pulse with a new adrenaline. To not disappoint him she'd have to excel in each of the sections: Kidō, Hohō and Zanjutsu.

Kidō was currently where she was lacking the most; she was trained in it to an extent, particularly in the field of healing where she almost rivalled Hinata, but some of the others, such as the two Hyuuga, were more skilled in that area.

Sakura did well in swordsmanship and she couldn't grasp how. She hadn't been too much involved with weapons back when she was a ninja, so she was surprised that the fluidity of the fighting was something she enjoyed. Furthermore, the knowledge of obtaining a Zanpaku-to got her excited. She didn't know the full mechanics of how one was supposed to achieve it but she felt that she was getting there. She could certainly feel something a little stronger budding in her chest and she'd like to think that it was related to it.

Just a little longer.

Her position suddenly locked in mid swing and the tip of her katana was pointed to Renji's Adam's apple which got dangerously close to his skin as he swallowed. His eyes stared pointedly into hers that were shadowed by her furrowed brow. Then he chuckled. "Getting better, Sakura."

She smirked. "You too." She looked down, seeing Zabimaru pointed at her stomach, its flat tip glinting in the waning sun.

Renji narrowed his eyes. "Of course I'd be better," he snapped, retracting back; Sakura followed suite but kept a watchful eye on him. Over the past year and a half, their relationship had hardly changed from its first meeting; if possible their chemistry was even more eruptive than before, which spoke volumes. For some reason their relationship never actually went anywhere and Sakura often wondered if it would at any point, only to shoot the idea down when she encountered him the next time; this made her wonder why the heck she even thought such a thing in the first place.

Besides this red-head, she had some ongoing tension with the Captain from the 10th Division, Captain Hitsugaya. It seemed that ever since that day, they weren't able to put all sorts of animosity aside. It was strange since the two hardly spoke a word to each other on a regular basis but yet she found it strangely exhilarating to stare the prodigy Captain in the eyes.

Sakura had finally deduced, along with all the encounters with Gin and the few with Aizen, that she loved the risky or daring side of things, hence why she prodded her Captain for an answer that she knew already. She figured out that getting this... adrenaline-rush... was something she got by ticking off normally stoic members or just even talking to Ichimaru, Aizen, Kenpachi and a select few others.

She had no idea where this addiction came from though, and it scared her; especially when she thought two years back when she was acting similarly to a newborn calf, curious and hesitant about any approach.

In short, she was much more confident.

The pinkette groaned, stretching her arms and back. "What do you want?"

Renji chuckled, sheathing Zabimaru with a smile that unnerved her. "The girls wanted me to invite you to the bathhouse in half an hour."

Sakura groaned in eager at the thought. "Oh, that sounds great." She raked a hand through her scapula-length pink hair and paused suddenly. "Wait. You boys aren't going too, are you?"

"Of course."

She shook her head instantly. "Uh-uh. No way."

"They're separated," Renji opposed in an almost whining tone. Sakura flicked his nose.

"I know you boys too well. You have your ways," she sent him a warning glare, to which he responded to with a semi-disappointed expression. He opened his mouth to retort but Sakura lifted a finger quickly, ceasing any noise. "Uh," she warned and then lazily waved her digit. "No more talking from you." She frowned, facing him full on before he protested. "Why? Because every time you open your mouth we start fighting." She sighed almost dramatically as she turned away. "And I get such big headaches from it. Not to mention people get the wrong idea when they see us at each other's neck."

"Captain Kuchiki is going."

A curt pause.

"I... think I have time."

Renji rolled his eyes. "You're so predictable."

"Am not."

"Ha!" he scoffed, shaking his head.

"Wait." Sakura pointed a finger at him. "Were you joking about him coming?"

"No."

"Seriously?"

"No."

"The truth, Abarai!"

"I like hearing you guess."

"You like these fights?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Was that an insult?"

"Did you want it to be?"

"You're asking for it, Abarai!"

"And I'm waiting for it, Haruno!"

* * *

"Ne, our little ex-nin is growing up, Captain," Matsumoto winked at the shorter boy, earning a slight sigh from him and a growl from said ex-nin. She waved at him cheerily as he slung his black kosode over his shoulder, all the while glaring at his Lieutenant and resisting the urge to just challenge her to another scratch match, which he knew he'd eventually lose anyway.

He may have been prodigy Neji Hyuuga back home, but he still had a long way to go with being a shinigami—he was so graciously reminded about this by Tenten's beloved friends from 11th Division; Ikkaku, Renji and Yumichika. While he was at the current level that got Matsumoto to her knees and even breathing heavily from exertion, Neji was sure that if he challenged her again to release some anger that she'd find a few ways to glide over his confidence so that instead he'd be the one bowing to her.

His lips twitched at her cheery grin before he gave a curt nod to his silent Captain, bowed and departed swiftly, stretching his back along the way.

That Matsumoto certainly shouldn't be underestimated, which he had wrongfully done since day one. He learned his lesson well, and knew that Hitsugaya found it amusing, to an extent, that he got his butt whipped.

Neji just couldn't wait til he was at the level of his Captain, or better yet, above. He looked forward to battling him, his new rival for the passed two years. But yet Hitsugaya would not actually fight with him until he was at a better standard, so Neji strived for this standard, hence his irritation with his seemingly endless losses with the red-headed boozer.

Running his fingers through his brown hair, still long over the years and basically the only thing about him that hadn't changed from the start, Neji headed for home. As always on his walks, his mind wandered towards Hinata.

The fact that she was a shinigami meant that she had been able to train thoroughly right off the bat, while the rest of the ex-nin couldn't, due to the fact that they had to finish converting their own energy. Being a substitute shinigami wasn't overly bad, but it was impossible to get the right feel.

Speaking of Hinata…

"Yo, Neji!"

He spun around, seeing Kiba sprinting towards him full pelt that he could see a cloud of dust accumulating at his heels. Neji raised an eyebrow calmly as the Inuzuka skidded to a halt in front of him, a cheeky grin on his face.

Several months after arrival in Soul Society, they had learned that Kiba had finally begun training; though why it was put off for so long was a mystery to all of them—even some of the Captain's it seemed. Whatever the reason, Kiba had started joining in with the rest of the group, a little hesitant around Sai and completely relaxed but bewildered around Hinata. While everyone else had once or twice shared a quick rundown of what they had been taught, Neji had noticed that Kiba tried hard to avoid giving some hint with where he was at. This made the Hyuuga all too curious now, and even slightly on edge.

He had seen Kiba with Kurotsuchi every now and then, more often with that shy shinigami who was apparently Kurotsuchi's Lieutenant. This Captain was one that Neji knew was in the know bouts of what Kiba was doing.

But Neji didn't pry.

"Hello," was his eventual response.

Kiba bashfully scratched the back of his head—Neji idly wondered why. "You just came from training, right?"

"Yes." _Where else would I be?_ he added as an afterthought.

"Would Lieutenant Matsumoto still be there?" Kiba said in a rush.

Neji paused, blinking at the tanned Inuzuka. His eyes flickered up at his face and the Hyuuga realised, belatedly, that this boy was taller than him… and had bigger arms. He had always been around Kiba but had never taken notice of the boy's body structure.

Neji unconsciously took a step back, all the while wondering even more profusely if someone was tampering with Kiba's DNA to make him look massive or if it was just a hereditary trait within the Inuzuka clan that the male heirs had a big growth spurt during puberty.

He hoped for the later, otherwise he might feel inclined to stalk the Inuzuka for a day and find out the secrets—Kurostuchi sprung to mind instantly.

And it was then that Neji realised something else that was odd. Something that was missing.

"Yes, she would be," he responded calmly, the next question eagerly waiting on his tongue. Kiba grinned.

"Great! Thanks!" He took a step in the direction of 10th Division.

"Where's Akamaru?"

Kiba froze, his smile faltering. Sharply, he stared at Neji, who responded in the like, before he said, "Thanks, I'll see you later." And he was gone.

Neji's eyes narrowed so that they were mere slits.

Something was up with that boy.

* * *

She was panting hard, exertion taxing her body as she did all she could to hold her katana up. Her hands were bound in bandages, their surface waning little by little every time she swung her blade. Her legs were trembling, having practised since sunrise to one in the afternoon nonstop and almost to the best of her ability.

Tousen was strict, wanting nothing more than to force the mousy Hyuuga into growing a backbone which was steadily growing. He stood to the sidelines silently, his arms crossed and his eyes towards the field, waiting for her to pounce once again on his Lieutenant.

Hinata closed her eyes briefly, feeling them sting under her lids and she snapped them back open, swallowing with difficulty and lifting her weapon once more. It wavered slightly, exhaustion beginning to kick in, and her vision blurred, so Hisagi's black form was looking like nothing more than a blob of jelly. His previous use of Kidō had a startling effect on her.

"Again," Tousen demanded.

Closing her mouth and breathing in and out through her nose, Hinata narrowed her eyes, feeling reiryoku travel through her hands; she felt her fingers tighten around the hilt and she turned her katana to the side.

"Come at me!" she cried. And at her command, Hisagi sprung towards her; she followed suite.

In a blur, which resulted in Tousen sighing and rubbing his temple when he sensed what happened, Hinata had tripped over Hisagi's sandals, attempting to duck under his swing and attack from behind. She had been caught, luckily, Hisagi having managed to catch her by wrapping an arm around her waist before she fell.

Something strange happened then. Tousen felt Hinata's aura suddenly flicker and before he knew it, a resonating slap echoed in the field and her aura went subdued; mellow, like she was asleep.

Silence followed.

"She fainted, Captain Tousen," Hisagi announced, rubbing his cheek where her small hand had left a red imprint. "The guys are gonna laugh at me when they see this," he muttered to himself, hoisting the unconscious shinigami into his arms properly, his Zanpaku-to now in its scabbard at his side.

Hinata's head lolled over one arm as he threw her legs over his other limb so that he held her in the bridal way. Wincing, Hisagi positioned her head so that it was against his bicep before approaching his Captain. The only hint the Lieutenant got that clued him in about Tousen's interest in the matter was the slight crease of the forehead.

"I see," the blind Captain said in response to the silence—Hisagi wondered if the man really knew what had happened but he wouldn't put it past him. "There's always another day." At that, Tousen left.

Hisagi, now alone in the field, rapped his fingers around the curve of her upper arm and lower thigh, wondering what to do next. Glancing at her small, angelic face, he sighed, heading towards her apartment, making note to avoid going passed Division 10 or 1; or even 13 and 6.

He only hoped that Tousen hadn't sensed or noticed the blush that had crept onto his cheeks before he left, otherwise he'd be questioned even further.

And hopefully Hinata would forget by the time she woke up the next day that he had ever accidently groped her.

* * *

Ino thumbed through the book in her hands, her blue eyes lazily combing the contents of each page before she flipped to the next, repeating the action. The book was one she had leafed through before and had properly read, so while she still scanned over the paragraphs on each page, she more looked through it for its pictures of flowers; flowers that resided in Soul Society. Some were ones she hadn't seen back home at all and therefore hadn't even heard of, so she was excited to scout each kind out and inspect it.

Unfortunately, ex-nin were restricted to the Seireitei, and could only go to the outer districts if accompanied by their Captain or Lieutenant. Well, her Captain had offered to take her out for a look sometime but that was a few months ago and she was still waiting, and growing tired of it.

Kaien Shiba, the hunk of a Lieutenant but happily married, was busy training new recruits. She had been trained by him before but she had battled with her Captain more often; some of the time she'd also train herself and if Captain Aizen was free, then with him.

She smiled at the thought before she closed the tomb on plants and slid it back into place on the shelf. Ino was in the library, spending her free time relaxing and reading. The others had used the library a lot as well, but she had seen Hinata, Sai and Sakura the most—Sakura left swiftly though.

Biting her bottom lip in thought, Ino dragged her calloused finger over the spines of the lined books, reading the titles in haste and waiting for any one of them to jump out at her.

"You love flowers a lot, don't you, Ino?"

Ino gasped, swinging around and coming face to face with the short, polka-faced unseated officer of her Division: Rukia Kuchiki. Her onyx eyes stared blankly back at her and Ino swallowed, sighing in relief.

She had long ago met this shinigami and noted the last name, linking it back to Sakura's Captain. They were siblings after all, she found out, but that wasn't the feeling that Ino got. Rukia had often mentioned her brother and most of the time what she said was with pride but other times it sounded as though the two didn't really have a solid relationship.

It wasn't Ino's business, to be honest, so she didn't try to butt in; though her side that thirsted for gossip and secrets wanted to know a lot more. She hadn't found out much, however.

"Rukia! You scared me," Ino breathed. Her long bangs covered one of her eyes and she casually tossed her head a little to see properly, even though it just swung back to its original place. Her hair was short when she first entered Soul Society, but now it was longer, held up in a high ponytail that reached to her mid-back.

"I can see."

Ino rolled her eyes. "And yes, I do love flowers. Took you that long to figure it out?" She smiled.

Rukia mirrored the twist of the lips and shook her head. "No. I just wanted to know why."

The blonde shrugged. "Why not?"

"I've noticed that you got Captain Aizen into your hobby as well," Rukia stated with interest as she slipped her hands into her sleeves. Ino nodded happily. "How'd you manage that?"

Ino turned back to the bookshelf to continue perusing as she answered her friends question—she used friend loosely, only because there were times that their personalities clashed a little too much. "I honestly don't know. He just asked what each flower meant."

"Which ones—"

"Ino Yamanaka." The two girls froze as a familiar, dominant aura surfaced behind them. They turned to see Aizen smiling down at them politely, his soft, brown eyes concealed behind his lids. He scratched his head, fingers raking through his brown hair that shagged over his black-rimmed glasses. "Did I interrupt something?"

Ino shook her head, eyes almost doe-like, while Rukia kept her lips sealed. "No, Captain Aizen."

His shoulders sagged in relief. "Oh good. Rukia, you don't mind if I steal your friend from you would you?" he asked, his attention now resting on the noble female.

She narrowed her eyes for a second before she gave a polite smile in return. "Of course not. I'll make it easier on both of you and just leave myself." She slipped passed Aizen and waved Ino goodbye. "See you later, Ino."

On her way out, she passed an onyx eyed boy who was staring intently in Yamanaka's direction, his fingers holding a brush that was poised to strike the parchment of his drawing book. Rukia paused, lips pursed, eyes dragging up and down his small frame in scrutiny; he was garbed in the shinigami uniform. Without another word, Rukia left silently, her interest piqued however.

* * *

"Try this one." Aizen pulled a thick book from the folds of his uniform and handed it to the short blonde.

Her blue eyes lit up with excitement at seeing something new to read and study, and she took it gently, fingers caressing the front of it and tracing the edges of the capital letters. Blinking, she asked Aizen, "poisonous plants?"

Aizen chuckled smoothly. "I have a feeling it may be used to your advantage in the future."

"Really?" Ino piped up, her toes tingling with excitement. "In what way?"

The brunette Captain suddenly trailed his right hand over the coat of her hair, his fingers cautiously pushing into the strand to weave with it. Ino blushed, cheeks dusted with pink and turning a deeper shade when he reached her shoulder and slightly grasped it in a reassuring way. Her eyes didn't leave his, and vice versa. "In a way that would make your friends… your family back home… your comrades here… your Captain… and most importantly… me… very proud."

Ino shuddered as chills bloomed all over her body. To please all… it sounded like a fairytale. Too good to be true.

Releasing his hold of her shoulder, he smiled and brushed the back of his fingers across her forehead, moving her bangs out of the way so that both of her eyes were exposed. Sky blue. A colour of innocence.

His smile started to twist into something a little more—

"Am I interrupting something here?"

Aizen jostled, dropping her hair but then skilfully regaining his posture and glancing over his shoulder. Ino peeked around his body to see her Captain watching the both of them with narrowed eyes; she shivered when his gaze nestled on her.

"Of course not," the aristocratic man answered, stepping away from the ex-nin. He matched the 13th Captain's wary glare. "I was just giving her a little something to read."

Ukitake's face loosened. "So I've heard that you've been giving my student a little something to do while I've been sick." It wasn't a question.

"Yes."

"And have also offered to train her once or twice."

"Yes."

There was a pause—wherein-which Ino glanced at her two favourite Captain's with fear—before Ukitake's narrowed eyes receded into calm, tired ones that he often showed. "I thank you then, Captain Aizen, for training her when I have not been able to."

Aizen chuckled, bowing slightly. "It's been my pleasure." Ino smiled to herself, biting her bottom lip in embarrassment; her fingers tightened their hold around the book in her hands.

"Ino," Ukitake softly spoke, trying to catch her attention. She nodded, straightening her back. His lips stretched into a cheery smile instantly. "I believe you wanted to go flower hunting, am I correct?"

The blonde perked instantly. "Yes, Captain Ukitake!" He gestured to the exit/entrance of the library with his head, to which she affirmed with a bob of her own. As she passed Aizen, she gave him a thankful bow, hugging the borrowed book tightly while she followed after her Captain.

Aizen's smile started to recede as soon as the two shinigami left, and his brow furrowed, brown eyes turning a dark shade of irritation. Unnoticeably, his fingers flexed, as though he was going to attempt a motion but decided against it.

He almost had her.

But then he quickly realised that it didn't matter. Whether the naïve little girl knew it or not, she was under his control. Deep enough within it that she just may not be able to get out.

With this thought flittering in his mind, Aizen proceeded to leave as well but stopped short when he noticed the sensation of someone watching him carefully. He had felt it before but chose to ignore it, preferring to focus on Ino, but now…

Brown eyes roamed the library and quickly landed on the black-haired ex-nin that was seated at a round table in the middle of the library, a partially blank book bared to him. Aizen knew this former-ninja.

Sai.

He wondered if the boy's friends knew what line of work he was in before he accepted the mission to go to Soul Society. Aizen had decided that the other ex-nin did not know and he felt curiosity begin to flood him.

It seemed that not only Soul Society held secrets from its occupants as well. Then again, Konoha was a ninja village.

Aizen approached the young boy who had yet to break his gaze from him, and as he reached the wooden table, Aizen flickered his gaze briefly to the book, seeing a familiar smile shine back at him. His eyes sharpened as he stared at Sai once more. "May I ask why you are drawing my Lieutenant?"

Sai's lips twisted into a serene but fake smile, one that reminded Aizen all too much of his accomplice, Gin Ichimaru. He didn't like it. He didn't like what thoughts and secrets that hid behind that smile. He knew some of what Ichimaru was thinking, enough for him not to worry overly, but this boy was like the night. Someone not to be underestimated or trusted.

Little did Aizen know, that Sai was thinking the exact same thing about him.

* * *

_I honestly worry about this chapter. Characterisation in particular. I have trouble developing characters… in a way I can't explain. _

_Anyway, things are getting underway. Next chapter is one I am really looking forward to writing, and then after that one should be the start of Naruto Shippuden, so… *cheeky grin* …I hope you look forward to it._

_Thankyou so much for your reviews and criticism. I really appreciate it. *throws bishies to the crowd*_

_**Please note:**_

_. I have a new poll so please vote if you haven't already. It's called __**What BLExNAR story should I write next? **__or something similar._

_. My forum is open to all of you. It'd be great to see you there. _

_. __**OMG!**__ For a contest in a group on DA we were required to draw a Naruto character with a Zanpaku-to. I entered and used Sai from this story as my entry. So yes, what I've drawn there is what his Zanpaku-to will be in ROT._

_Please review. __ Constructive criticism appreciated._

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or Bleach  
_


	11. The Evaluation

FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM**  
~11~  
**"The Evaluation"

* * *

She could feel it, something walking through her mind, trying to reach her. She could sense it, hear it move, and wanted to grasp it but it was just out of—

There was a low hiss reverberating in her mind. Her skin crawled.

It was intimidating but she knew exactly who it was, _what_ it was moving about in her mind. She could still feel her Captain watching her, almost, even though he was not there anymore. He had left her hours before, leaving her in this meditative state when she had practically crawled to him in the middle of the night thirteen days ago, sweat dripping from her chin like a tap was left on. She had dreams that left her restless; someone moving in and out of focus with no discernable features.

He had taken her in, bringing her temperature down with a wet cloth on her forehead, taking care of her as he explained in a calm voice to just listen to the whispering vocals thundering in her mind as she slept. He told her that it was the Spirit trying to reach her, and all she had to do was listen, but he did not say anymore to help her—the prude.

He showed her Jinzen and stood watching over her for a few hours. Sakura barely even noticed him leave when he did, but, even gone, she pretended he was still there. It made her feel determination to reach the key, so to speak.

Another hiss—no... it was a soft growl.

Sakura's breath hitched, her upper lip pulled back to bare her teeth.

This Spirit was evasive, almost as if it was testing her.

She continued to search for the presence in her musky caverns of her mind. Sakura swore this wasn't what her mind truly looked like if she ever visited it; dark, murky, damp—like a cave. She unknowingly tilted her head in reality when she realised that maybe this was the home of the Spirit.

_**Clever, child.**_

Sakura gasped softly, halting in her journey and resting a trembling hand on the cold dirt wall of the cave, her fingers brushing thin, tangled roots. Up ahead she could see yellow eyes gleaming back at her amongst the darkness. They thinned, narrowing at her almost accusingly, studiously, before slowly disappearing as the Spirit blinked wearily and exhaled. The shinigami could feel the air of the breath rush against her, winding through her long hair and tugging at her clothes. The smell leaved a lot to be desired, but she hardly noticed it as she swallowed.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked, just for the sake of it—despite the fact that she knew who it was.

_**You should know, child. I have been calling. And just like the young one you are, you don't listen.**_

Warmth filled Sakura at the calming, soothing tone the Spirit held, even though the cave was as icy as the middle of winter in the Snow Country and even though the voice had an underlying tone that was deep, guttural, like an animal.

_Child. She says child. And that voice..._

Sakura wondered... she spoke like a mother would to a child.

She felt suddenly safe in the presence of her Spirit and confidence bubbled within her as she breathed in the icy air around her. It turned warm as it entered her throat, heating her cold body.

"Please. Remind me." She swallowed, fingers digging into the dirt wall. "Remind me once more."

The yellow eyes widened in surprise before reducing in size. A soft chuckle followed.

The cave suddenly distorted, twisting anti-clockwise, the earthy colours fusing together into a swirl right before her eyes. Black started to smother her, and Sakura feared the moment that those yellow eyes, both alarming but endearing, were to disappear. But as she took a step forward, Sakura gasped sharply and loudly, tilting her head back as she tried to breathe. Darkness grew lighter, turning red, sunlight beating on her lids and she continued to hoarsely breathe in the surrounding air, hearing her heart thump hastily in her head as the short-lived pain coursed through her body and vanished with a silent whimper.

And then Sakura felt bliss. She could feel a light breeze caressing her skin, her nerves tingling; could smell the sweet scent of fresh leaves and grass and soil, and even a tinge of exotic, spicy herbs that she recognised to be a certain man's scent. In a flash she opened her eyes, instantly meeting ones of black—like the black that she was previously immersed in—that belonged solely to her Captain.

They stared at each other in silence until he spoke, raising an eyebrow. "Well?"

Sakura couldn't help the excited grin that crawled onto her lips.

* * *

It had been two years to the day since they arrived in Soul Society, looking like nothing more than innocent sheep with their doe-like eyes as they took in their new home. It was a big step into the unknown that day, a big leap into a different future.

Neji did wonder what sort of life he could have led if had remained in Konoha—whether he'd reach jounin or even ANBU—but the more he thought about it, the more he realised that he knew he'd be haunted with the knowledge of others elsewhere, training like mad to protect home. So, in essence, the Hyuuga was overly glad that he chose to go.

At the moment, however, he was heading towards the shared training grounds with a swelling of anxiousness brewing in his stomach. Why was he nervous? Simple, today was the day that the former-nin were to be evaluated in their current progress as a shinigami. Neji was confident he would appease the other Captains that would watch, but he also wondered what techniques the others had up their sleeves that he didn't know about and could thus lose favour.

True, they had all swapped small information about where they were at but it was just that: small. He had recalled what they each said but soon found out that the little info they gave wasn't exactly helpful for him to conjure a counterattack to anything, unless it was on the spot in the heat of battle

It didn't matter. He was good at on the spot thinking.

And the more he thought on it, the more Neji grew interested to see how far they had all come. Did they all have Zanpaku-to's just like him? Would Hinata be involved also? She was an ex-nin after all.

This thought of his cousin brought Neji to ponder over the absence of Shikamaru's father. True, he didn't know the man very well but since he hadn't even seen nor heard a whisper about him since entering Soul Society, Neji was beginning to get curious. He had once asked his Captain about it but was re-directed to the Head-Captain. Unfortunately, the answer was of no help.

It was like Shikaku was erased from existence, something Neji felt was very wrong. When he and Captain Kuchiki had that talk months back, his questions had drifted to the passing of other souls and he asked why most of Konoha's dead was not walking around the Rukongai district.

He, Byakuya, explained that it was because they died before the tear was made, so their souls must have faded into nothing after many years. Only the fresh souls, the ones recently killed and still wandering the streets of Konoha were given passage to the afterlife.

The whole ordeal, frankly, upset Neji a little. He had started to grow hopes of seeing is father again, only for it to be impossible. It then made him realise that his father may not be in an afterlife like he, himself, was. This thought was... daunting.

"Oh, Neji!" a sing-song voice called from behind, purging his deep thoughts.

He blinked, peering over his shoulder and muttering a "hm?" before seeing a beaming Matsumoto bound up to him and sling an arm around his solid shoulders; he wasn't as big as Kiba, by far, but was still aging to his late teens. The device used to create his shinigami form was incredible useful, but Neji wondered whether or not, if he actually died, if he'd still have his abilities afterwards. He assumed so, as Hinata, from what he had heard and seen, still had remnants of her past ninja abilities—including the Byakugan.

The orange-haired woman tussling his brown hair pulled him from his reverie again and he twitched, his fingers that were on the handle of his brand new blade tightened a little more around the leather-weaved handle.

He enjoyed using his new weapon, his Zanpaku-to, after finally managing to hear the voices name echoing in his head for the past year and a half; the voice was maddening. He'd hear it constantly, a soft, gentle vocal of a woman bleeding through his mind and lingering, and even in his dreams whilst he slept. At first he ignored it, hoping that he wasn't going insane, but she was insistent and Captain Hitsugaya had informed him—after a while of seeing Neji do less than he was normally able during training—that it was the voice of the spirit of his Zanpaku-to. Neji was eager that he was moving on and on. Thus he used every chance he could get to spar Matsumoto, to practise his newfound abilities; his Shikai.

And Kami knows that even now, before the evaluation, she—Matsumoto—was once again pushing it.

"You go, big boy!" she screamed in his ear excitedly—he flinched—proceeding to give him a tight, unwelcome hug. "I have confidence that you'll kick their butts!"

That was it.

_**Calm down, young one.**_

His reach for the handle was slowed. Neji—slightly calmer than before—grasped the handle of his katana and lifted it only a little from the scabbard at his side; Matsumoto jumped back, her pink tongue poking at him in tease. The Hyuuga glowered, unable to understand why he couldn't just tolerate this woman like everyone else. She giggled, waving her hand at him apologetically but her expression seemed to prove the very opposite. "After all, with your new skills, you have beaten me at least once."

"Matsumoto," Neji warned, all too aware of the fact that she was just saying that to get a reaction out of him, something that she, in particular, was very good at. And yes, he was proud of the fact that after finally gaining a Zanpaku-to, he had beaten her once or twice, but it never reached passed the single digits; this fact he cursed but he knew it was because the spirit wanted to ease strength into him, not release it full blast.

Her sudden change in attitude made him pause. It lessened, and she breathed out, a hand on her hip as she stared at him almost lovingly, like a mother to a child. Neji sprouted goosebumps, having never seen this sort of expression directed towards him before, especially by his sparring buddy since she did have an array of emotions.

The Hyuuga blinked, brow still furrowed and his fingers all too ready to slip his katana out and wield it but he was surprised to suddenly find black-clothed arms wrap around his shoulders and reel him in into a warm, soft body. He felt something rest on his head as he stared at her exposed collar bone, wondering what she was doing as her fingers pressed into his back lightly.

"You'll do well," he heard her whisper from above, and numbly Neji released the handle of his Zanpaku-to and stood in her embrace, not sure whether to return it or not.

Honestly, he was surprised at her audacity, but what shocked him most was that she had somehow grown more attached to him than he thought. True, two years had passed, but Neji had always thought she viewed him as an annoying, unresponsive (though he was quite responsive) little brother, much like their Captain. Now Neji knew how she viewed him.

Like a son.

Those words by themselves made his heart beat faster as he remembered his childhood, seeing his father but no woman beside him.

He never had a mother.

But now he did.

"Go get 'em, tiger."

* * *

Sakura picked at the end of her braid delicately, trying to listen to Ino or at least look like she was. She gazed up at the blonde's slim form in front of her as they walked, before she sighed and stared intently back at her braid, running her fingers smoothly over the intertwining of the locks.

For a while now she had decided to regrow her hair but not keep it down where she found herself getting constantly infuriated by it as it was always in the way. In recent days, in her spare time in the morning, she'd sit on her bed and start braiding, making sure that it was neat or until she was satisfied before she tied it off. Her hair already reached a little passed her scapula.

"I'm _so _excited." Sakura managed to catch, hearing the emphasised 'so' in her friend's sentence. She smiled. They were both excited, having established that when they met on the way to the training ground. Having the opportunity to just display what they knew was an exhilarating thought, and with each step closer to the destination, Sakura felt confidence spur. "I wonder how everyone has gone with their training," Ino stated, this time pulling the pinkette back to reality.

She grinned, trotting up beside her friend and matching her determined gaze. "They'll be a challenge, and that's for sure."

Ino's lips curled into a devious smirk. She had always liked a challenge. "You better be one too, Sa-ku-ra," the blonde teased, wagging her finger with each syllable she spoke in the others name.

Sakura laughed. "Better pray you won't be buried under the rubble, girl!"

"Oh, you'll be surprised."

"Oh, really?"

The two stared at each other, halted in their trek as they challenged each other. Seconds passed, and a few more before Ino parted her lips, only to have another voice replace her own.

"Am I interrupting something here?"

The two girls whirled around, and Sakura's eyes of determination to battle her friend crumbled into cautiousness as she took in Aizen's towering form. She tensed her muscles but made sure not to make it obvious as she looked the Captain in the eyes (she didn't doubt that he knew nonetheless), knowing that it was better to keep someone you didn't trust in your vision than not. Ino, however...

"Captain Aizen!" she sighed, bowing in respect as she clasped her hands together to her chest. Sakura stared in surprise at her friend, knowing full well that the blonde idolised the Fifth Captain much like Hinamori did, but seeing Ino act this way over and over only served to scare the pinkette—Ino just may be more obsessed over this man than she was previously with Sasuke. She swallowed uncomfortably, feeling the atmosphere suddenly grow tense, even if it wasn't at all.

Peering back up at Aizen's eyes, Sakura fought hard not to flinch when she saw that he was gazing back at her, an almost mischievous smile on his lips. She narrowed her brow in an almost challenge.

Her Captain was right. This man did not feel right. And while she thought it weird that her Captain actually showed some suspicion with other Captains—and actually informed _he_r—Sakura didn't think on it. She trusted Captain Kuchiki, soaked in his words, much like an ANBU would have the Hokage.

But her friend was pretty much obsessed with Aizen and Sakura knew that telling Ino would only result in a bruised friendship, something she couldn't risk as she had strived to protect it at all costs. She had wounded it, even killed it, as kids, over something so ridiculous, and even moreso now because the Uchiha had betrayed them.

The two had continued to grow as friends over the two years; eating, laughing, talking together. Tenten and Hinata were always there too but... Sakura did not know them as well as she knew Ino. And each time she conversed with the blonde, there seemed to be some sort of block that tabbed their relationship. So she just knew, she felt it in her blood, that something was wrong.

Sakura wasn't an idiot. In fact, training with Captain Kuchiki did wonders for her abilities as soon as she got the hang of it, so she grew to be observant. There was nothing she could do, however. So she did nothing.

"Haruno," Aizen spoke and she tried not to shiver. His imposing gentlemanly trait did not convince her like it did Ino and others.

_Sorry, Ino, but I'm not like that. I'm not weak in that way._

"Yes?" Sakura straightened, knowing full well that Aizen had a gut instinct with what she thought of him.

"Mind if I steal your friend for a second?"

It wasn't an offer. He was basically ordering her to scram...

...and scram she would.

Sakura sighed, bowed to him and bid her friend farewell, who gave her a distracted one in return. And as she headed for the evaluation event, she could feel Aizen's eyes penetrating into her back, making her hair stand on edge.

She didn't glance back over her shoulder as she turned the corner, leaving her friend with a predator.

* * *

It felt wrong with each step she took towards the evaluation destination. Really she should be protecting her friend from what she thought was unhealthy but Sakura knew all too well that Ino wouldn't listen, which scared her.

She didn't want to lose her, the one who helped her step towards her new future with confidence (with the help of Captain Kuchiki, of course) but every time they spoke, as she thought before, there was something settling in the middle, making it hard to work around. This block wasn't there at the beginning, Sakura didn't think, and it was definitely not there before the whole fiasco with the shinigami occurred, so the pinkette figured she had reason enough to blame her new occupation.

She supposed it wasn't fair but—

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Yeek!"

The next thing Sakura knew was that she was soaked with water, her robes so much heavier now that they were drenched. Her hair clung to her skin, and—why could she feel this slimy thing sail over her fingers?

She gasped, withdrawing her hand from the shallow water and watching in horror as a small goldfish shot to the other side of the pond, leaving a trail of bubbles in its wake. She paused, breathing in slowly, her skin still tingling at the sensation of the scaly animal caressing her.

And then she heard laughter.

Sakura scowled, glaring at the chortling red-head shinigami who was clutching his chest as though his lungs would burst. She mentally smirked... maybe she could help with that.

The ex-nin grabbed the handle of her wet Zanpaku-to, intent on teaching Renji Abarai a lesson, but as soon as she slammed her sandalled feet onto the bottom of the pond, she slipped, falling back onto her rear and splashing water all over the banks. This just caused the arrogant shinigami to cackle even harder.

Now she was pissed. She was soaked, cold, nervous, angry and now her bloody ass hurt!

"Renji," she growled, moving her stringy bangs from her eyesight to give the shinigami a better look at her menacing glare, which was completely ineffective considering the other was crying from laughter.

"Haha—kehaha—nice—" he sniggered, "—trip? Hahahaha!" A snort.

"Shut up!" Sakura yelled, disappearing from her seat in the koi pond and tossing the sheath of her Zanpaku-to across the grassy area. "You're dead!"

The last thing she saw before the red-head disappeared was a cocky but amused smirk on his lips—then he was gone. She cursed, spinning around with ease—hair streaming, the ball of her feet sinking into the now mud—successfully blocking a blow from behind; she bared her teeth in annoyance when she saw that he hadn't taken out his weapon but kept it in its sheath to attack.

Nothing pissed her off more than people underestimating her.

_**Woohoo! You show him whose boss! Show him that us women are fighting machines! Go! Go for it!**_

Sakura fought the urge to sigh at the encouragement of her Zanpaku-to Spirit. The woman was awesome, put simply, but was also freakishly sensitive when it came to people insulting Sakura, even if it was jokingly. Now, in the past six months—ever since the formation of her wakizashi—Sai, Renji, even Byakuya, and a number of others were on her Spirit's hit list. She was, in every aspect, like an overprotective mother; but was also, unfortunately, depending on how it's looked at, a lot about female dominance. It was hard to believe that at their first meeting her attitude was as calm and smooth as cream.

And fighting machines?

Re-gripping the weaved handle, Sakura slid her foot back, ignoring the mud collecting on the sides of her feet, before she sprung forward, taking a swipe at the cocky red-haired man. He dodged, laughing, and flipped back again when she went for another attack.

_**Hit him! Hit him! Hit him!**_

And Renji's guard was down for a second. Sakura took this chance, bringing the wakizashi back and positioning it in a way so that she'd impale him if it hit.

Too bad it didn't.

Sakura heard her Spirit growl loudly—a guttural one, considering the form she took—before she herself even saw her Captain standing in front of her, the sheath for her Zanpaku-to in his hand. Adrenaline was fizzling in her body as she lost her fighting form and looked up at Captain Kuchiki.

And instantly she looked away, angry spurring within her still.

"I'm disappointed, Sakura," he said—she barely flinched. He had said that quite a bit since she continued to let her anger get out of hand, but it still hurt to hear those words since she wanted nothing more than to please him, and he acted like she was doing the exact opposite. He hardly gave her praise, just harsh criticism when she did something wrong.

Yet, somehow, she knew that the day she heard the name of her Zanpaku-to, he was proud, even if he didn't show it. He had to be. It was still making her mad though; but regardless... she couldn't really hate him—could she?

"I'm sorry, Captain Kuchiki." She bowed, tenderly taking the scabbard and sliding her wakizashi back into it.

"You have a test in under half an hour, and you thought it wise to start a fight with a senior?" he continued, his deep voice sending vibrations through her skin.

It didn't matter how much she tried to stop it, how she felt about him. True, the man was as dry as a biscuit, and had made it crystal clear that he wasn't interested in anything to do with women—she hadn't found this out by personal experience—and he did irritate her so much with his attitude, but somehow she was hooked, like she was a fish, and he the line. What made it worse was that if he did know, he didn't do anything to either encourage her or dissuade her, so it was driving Sakura bonkers—this coupled with the whole 'disappointment' thing.

"I'm sorry, sir."

He _hmm'd_, eyes boring into her tilted head before he looked over his shoulder at the red-head behind him. "Why did you provoke my student?" he asked; her heart fluttered.

Renji's almost awe-like eyes died to fear. He bowed curtly. "My apologies, Captain Kuchiki. I merely wished to wish her luck but..." the end of the sentence was obvious, as that incentive did not go according to plan.

"Then say it and leave. I will not inform your Captain about this, but consider it a warning; same with you, Sakura."

There was a pause where Sakura felt annoyance fester within her, and where Renji sounded as though he was hesitating about what to say. Then he nodded. "Good luck, Sakura." And he was gone.

Sakura felt her body deflate as she was left alone with her Captain. She both hated and loved it; loved it because his mere presence was... alluring... and hated it because she couldn't stand what she thinking or feeling. All those training sessions didn't help either.

There were times where he was merely dodging all of her blows, then there were others where he faced her forcefully, physically, with the spar ending with his hand either around her throat or her wrist. Call her crazy but that simple touch just made her—

"Why are you still here?"

"Huh?" Sakura blinked.

"The Evaluation starts in fifteen minutes. So move."

Blushing, Sakura nodded and headed off, knowing that her Captain would already be there by the time she arrived. Damn, Captain...

...but still irresistible.

Well, she had become somewhat of a daredevil since arriving in Soul Society.

* * *

True to what she had thought, Byakuya was already at the training grounds when she arrived. He was with the other Captains lining the sides, eyeing the other shinigami that turned up for the show briefly before ignoring their excited chatter.

How had word gotten out?

A deep chuckle right next him caused the noble to peel open his eyes and raise an eyebrow at the tall Captain beside him. "Your student came a little late!"

He turned his head away, as though the sight of Kenpachi ruined his eyes. "At least she is here."

"Tenny was here a long time ago," he stated with a frown; he chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "Now I wonder how well the kitten will go against yours."

Another Captain joined the conversation, his light chuckle capturing their attention. "Proud of your student, Captain Kenpachi?" Ukitake queried; he slipped his hands into the sleeves of his shihaksho. The white-haired man smiled, waving gently to Ino just arriving with Captain Aizen tailing quietly behind her; she waved her whole arm vigorously in return.

"Not proud, exactly," Kenpachi said.

"I heard that there was a little debacle about her Zanpaku-to," Ukitake commented, his tone hinting that he was curious to hear the rest of the story. The massive shinigami chuckled without humour, a frown now wrinkling the skin on his forehead more.

Now Byakuya was a little more interested in the conversation, and he tore his eyes from the ex-nin that were gathered in the centre of the field and amiably talking, and paid more attention to the talk.

"11th Division is melee fighting. Most of us have melee Zanpaku-to's," Zaraki started, beady eyes watching the brunette student metres from him. Tenten had changed a fair bit. Her hair was still in two buns but now had loose locks dangling from the centre, and she was garbed in the shinigami attire, her Zanpaku-to on her back.

"I take it her Zanpaku-to is Kidō?" Byakuya decided to ask. The only response was a guttural grunt from the tall man beside him.

That ended that conversation.

But then the 11th Captain spoke again. "Wanna place bets?"

* * *

The whole training field went silent as soon as the Head-Captain arrived, his wrinkled hands clenched tightly around the hook of his cane before he lightly tapped the ground and stepped to a halt. Everyone was watching him, waiting for him to start the Evaluation.

There were other shinigami from all Divisions, standing behind the row of Captain's and Lieutenant's that were closest to the grass field where the battles would be. They were whispering, filling the area with the sounds of clinking metal as more bets were placed. This only served to unnerve Sakura even more, and she glanced down the row of ex-nin on both sides of her.

They were undoubtedly feeling something too but... her eyes narrowed on Sai, and she scowled. He was wearing that damn fake smile again.

She was so deep in thought that she flinched when a heavy, booming voice flooded the field. "Sai and Hinata!"

Chills exploded over her skin at the sound of those two names, but it quickly subsided to deep interest as she and the other ex-nin moved to the side, leaving said members out on the training field. Her heart was pounding almost feverishly while she kept her eyes fully trained on the both of them, more on Sai than Hinata due to his mysteriousness. Then again... she set her vision on the female Hyuuga... the girl was an official shinigami, not a substitute.

Sakura didn't know who she should watch like a hawk.

The watchers rippled with whispers as they turned to each other and waited in anticipation for the battle to begin. Tousen and Soi Fon exchanged a look, matching grim smiles on their faces. The two battler's stood opposite each other, a fake smile vs. a concentrated one. Both their hands were resting on the handle of their blades, ready to withdraw them in a hurry—who was faster?

"Begin!"

Sakura could feel Neji tense beside her, and she glanced up at him. He was focusing on both of them so intently that it made her nervous. She barely caught him whispering under her breath, "they have Zanpaku-to's too."

The pink-haired shinigami didn't get a chance to respond as Hinata made the first move. Her arm rose, unsheathing a small blade and moving her left foot back so that it was a small distance almost directly behind her right. And she readied the wakizashi, her lips tight—Neji tensed even more, excitement filling him.

And Sakura as well—in the pit of her stomach. _Go Hinata._

It began.

Hinata moved first, springing him at a speed she didn't previously own when she was a ninja. And as she was mere seconds from Sai, his fake smile ever present, his katana was drawn, blocking the frontal attack with ease and causing sharp sparks to emit. Hinata disappeared and he squatted, the Hyuuga seconds later shooting across the field, a gasp hissing from her throat.

Sai followed close behind, and Hinata flipped in mid air, landing on ground and slowing her skid with a hand in front of her. The next thing she saw as she looked up was his smile, and his katana pointed right at her. The Hyuuga widened her eyes but then quickly scowled, spinning her Zanpaku-to around in her right hand—so that the blade went along her forearm—and then swinging it with ease as soon as her opponents weapon was within range.

The metal met, her arm protected by the blade as the other Zanpaku-to weighed down on her—but only for a split second. Hinata pushed the katana away from her body fluidly, to the right, bringing her other hand to grab Sai's right hand holding the blade.

It was done in mere seconds.

They paused, her thin fingers wrapped around his knuckles, fighting against his strength that was pushing back at her. He stared at her with emotionless onyx eyes, an almost sincere smile on his face. "That was quite good," he remarked. "But..." She felt her eyes widen as Sai's spare hand made a few symbols, and whispered, "Way of Destruction, Number 1: Sho."

Blue light flashed before her and Hinata was flung back onto the training field, earning quite a reaction from the crowd. Sakura bit her lip softly, clasping her hands as she watched the battle continue. Sai certainly had speed and skill with Kidō, but Hinata showed interesting talent as well. She thought on her feet, and used her lithe—but busty—body to her advantage, coupled with speed to avoid.

Dust clouded Hinata's form, her silhouette still able to be made out, however, as it started to clear. And then Sakura—everybody—heard the timid Hyuuga call out a name in a firm voice that sent electricity shooting through Sakura's veins. "Drown them, Kootte Me!" **(1)**

Sakura's breath was gone as the very air turned moist, water clinging to her like a second skin. The field grew clogged with white mist, but it was light, just enough to see the forms of the battler's, their blades pointed towards each other in challenge. Sakura swore she could hear Kiba's teeth chattering in awe and she wondered if Hinata had ever displayed such prowess as a ninja on his team, but judging by his reaction, Sakura felt safe to assume that Hinata had made a considerable leap already.

She guessed that there were some perks with being entirely dead after all.

Across the field, Sakura could see interest brewing in the Captain's and other shinigami as they watched and waited in anticipation for the reveal of her shikai. Her eyes locked briefly on her Captain's before she tore away from him and accidentally rested them on the short squirt from Division 10. He was staring at her.

Then he looked away. She furrowed her brow, not particularly liking the feeling that that expression created in her stomach. Then again, she could have been overreacting. Maybe they only happened to catch each other looking at the other at an awkward time.

* * *

Soi Fon bit her lip, muttering a curse under her breath as she glared at the mousy Hyuuga on the field. She clenched her fists before scoping over her student and noting that the stoic boy realised the very problem he was in.

_Yeah, the kid knows it. His shikai won't be as effective now._

Feeling someone concentrating on her, the Captain shot a look down the line of Captain's, meeting Tousen's eye. The female quickly scowled as she saw a slight smirk on his lips, and she crossed her arms, returning her attention to the field, blatantly ignoring the chuckle of Kyōraku beside her.

* * *

The dust finally settled, though the field was still slightly filled with mist that nipped at Sakura's fingers, and small puddles were accumulating on the ground. But at last Hinata stood, her shikai now gleaming before her. It looked like a horseshoe, but the 'prongs' were longer and pointed, one longer than the other, and the handle—wrapped in black leather—was just small enough for her hand to fit into the curve.

Sakura could practically feel interest and earnest leak out of the Hyuuga beside her.

Round Two began.

Hinata sped forward, eyes raking of Sai's posture; he was guarded, but she didn't stop. At the last second, just before she was within range of a swing of his inactivated katana, Hinata plunged her heel into the muddy floor and skidded between the ex-nin's parted legs, her Zanpaku-to's prongs pointed towards the earth.

Sai sensed her skid behind and briefly wondered what the heck she was doing before he suddenly saw a wave of water crushing towards him. It came out of nowhere, and it was coming fast. He tensed his body so that his muscles felt like iron, and in the seconds before the water was to bulldoze him over, he crossed his hands over each other and whispered a few words in a heated rush, ignoring the flecks of spray that tickled his cheeks and the way his heart was racing like mad.

Yellow light spread in front of him just as the water made contact but the glowing shield instantly shattered under the weight, and the wave tackled the shinigami to the ground, forcing him into the sinking earth. His eyes were clenched, his lungs burning, trying to get air, but the water remained around him, smothering him.

Whatever happened caused commotion on the opposite of the field, as the other Captain's were all facing Captain Soi Fon almost accusingly. Sakura felt her heart leap to her throat as she witnessed just what happened. She wasn't sure if she was reacting to the same thing the Captain's were, as they were clearly interested in something, but she was focusing more on the feat Hinata completed and was still doing.

The Hyuuga had the water suspended in that one spot, the points of her deformed wakizashi pointed at the body of liquid with two fingers of her spare hand by the side of it. She was concentrating, trying to keep it up.

But all too soon Sakura witnessed the water level lowering, and she saw panic rise in Hinata's eyes. Hissing, the female Hyuuga pulled her Zanpaku-to back along with her free hand and instantly the water vanished, dispersing into the atmosphere. Sai remained on his back, still, his body slowly sinking into the earth until—_poof!_

The crowd let out collective gasp as his body disappeared in a puff of smoke. Even the ex-nin exchanged looks as the smoke settled, revealing a thick log.

He performed ninja arts.

Hinata's breath snagged, veins twining from her eyes—Neji shifted—seconds prior to her dart forward, narrowly missing a blow from behind. Her balance was now off and she skidded on the mud, falling onto her back and sliding through it; mud clung to her, adding weight. She didn't have time to react as a blur of black above her became solid and Sai, his eyes slightly narrowed, came down, his katana not pointed at her but positioned so that, if it hit it would slice her in half.

_Twang!_

He landed, feet either side of her hips, his hands clenching the handle of his katana tightly as he put more weight into the weapon that was wedged between the prongs of Hinata's Zanpaku-to.

There was a long short pause, wherein which Hinata felt the beat of her heart thrumming in her ears and panted heavily, eyes focusing first on the tip of the blade inches above her head but then on the wielder of the weapon. Sai was calm, looking as though he hadn't broken a sweat even though he was drenched.

"Fester, Kuro," **(3)** he whispered, milliseconds before he took a step back and drew his katana from the wedge, creating a sharp pitched sound that made her wince and a collection of sparks. But at the same time, a black substance splattered over her body.

Hinata gasped, sealing eyes shut as she grasped at her chest with her free hand. All too soon she felt heat on her skin, and hardly a moment later, the ink burst into vicious black flames. The Hyuuga engulfed her bottom lip with her top and bit hard, blood drooling from the wound as she suppressed the urge to scream. It burned like hell, but yet, through the pain, through the flames, Hinata retreated back swiftly before swinging her wakizashi around her, a stream of water veiling her and causing a cloud of steam to smother the field as the fire was doused.

Sai was gone, his form buried within the thick grey smoke, and again the two blades met, unbeknownst to the crowd waiting. Determined light lavender matched stoic dark onyx. Hinata didn't have time to muse that his brow was slightly wrinkled. "Those flames would have been worse if it were not for your mist that numbed them," he said slowly, arm muscles bulging as he pressed harder against her; she fought back, whimpering, wincing, tears lingering in her eyes.

Her chest heaved; it was getting harder to breathe. "I've..." she exhaled, flinching as he added more weight, pushing her feet into the mud even more. "I've still got more."

* * *

Sakura couldn't believe what she just saw. She literally couldn't find words to describe it. Neji, she knew, was also completely floored. But those flames...

As soon as they ruptured, the pink-haired shinigami felt fear creep into her system. She didn't like the look of their eating bodies, and she particularly didn't like the release command: fester. It just sounded wrong; black, evil.

What scared her more was that Sai was able to combine shinigami and ninja arts together, even if it was briefly. She didn't know if it showed that he was behind in converting chakra into reiryoku, or if he had plenty of the energy and was skilled enough to put it into jutsu's. Sakura hoped desperately that it was the former. And if it was the former, it led to the thought: why was he allowed to come if he had so much chakra?

Lee and Naruto were not allowed to go because of it, but yet _he_ was accepted. It was unfair. Why did—

Sakura frowned, the banter beside her between her ex-nin began to fade. That man. That man insisted that Sai should come, and Captain Soi Fon had mentioned that he was not able to go at first because he had too much chakra. Yet he went.

It didn't make sense.

At that time however—as Neji and Kiba ceased their bickering worry for the Hyuuga female—the smoke started to disperse and two interlocked forms were discernable.

Hinata... she was alright!

Relief flooded Sakura's system in seconds as she sighed out, spinning to Neji beside her and giving him a tight hug before repeating the same action to Kiba beside her, ignoring the fact that she couldn't fit her arms around his beefy body—both boys, temporarily, stared in surprise at the pinkette. Ino and Tenten screamed with the crowd.

Now what?

"That's enough." Yamamoto's voice crushed the field, silencing all screams and hoots from the crowd of shinigami. Sai and Hinata, however, didn't pull back. They remained fixated. "I said that's enough." And slowly but surely the two shinigami retracted back from each other, one step and then two, their eyes still locked. The area waited in anticipation for the Head-Captain to state the winner. "A tie."

"What?"

"You've gotta be kidding me?"

"That kid was gonna kick that mouse's ass!"

"Hell no! She was gonna wipe the floor with him!"

"She just burst into flames you idiot!"

"And she's still standing, prick!"

Fights sprouted between the seated and unseated shinigami at the back, and all too soon fists were thrown and more curses were tossed around.

Sakura herself couldn't be happier with that result, and she stated so to Kiba beside her, who could only nod as he was basically speechless. And then the pinkette glanced around the big boy's body, hoping to give another hug to a certain creature but was disappointed when she didn't spot him. She looked up at the Inuzuka with a quizzical look. "Where's Akamaru?"

His joyous expression drained immediately to a weary, sad one; she regretted it as soon as she saw it. She didn't notice Neji pay attention as well.

"He's home," Kiba said almost mournfully. Truthfully, the answer didn't fit the expression at all that Sakura couldn't help but be unconvinced. Yet he turned away from her, and at the same time, Hinata collapsed to the muddy ground, so she couldn't prod further into the matter.

Sakura was worried. Everybody, even herself, was changing so much that they were beginning to be unrecognisable.

"Next match: Neji and Tenten."

* * *

Slush clung to their feet as the two former teammates trudged onto the field, avoiding eye contact at first but then inevitably turning to face each other. Tenten barely flinched when she met his lavender gaze, but she didn't deter, instead raised a hand to let it rest comfortably on the handle of her katana. Neji mirrored her actions.

Sakura noted that even though both katana's were the same size, they both exuberated a certain personality just by the appearance of their scabbard. Tenten's was a weaving case; a honey-coloured thatched covering that had a littering of black spots all around it. Neji's was smoother, wooden, a beautiful brown with a band of gold at the top. There were two feathers that fell from the end, along with an extra two from the handle. It was obvious what his Zanpaku-to was like then.

"Begin!"

They both drew, though Neji was the first who activated his shikai, knowing full well that he'd need it for this fight. "Soar, Unubore!" **(3)** The metal glowed briefly before it bubbled and thousands of sharp points emerged from the silver and hardened so that the katana looked scaled. Without waiting, the Hyuuga started off, zeroing in on the weapons mistress; closer, and closer, and closer, until—

"Race, Hageshii Kiiro!" **(4)** and a flash of yellow jaggered passed Neji's shoulder, forcing him to throw off his attack and flip to the side to safety, though as soon as he landed another stream was shot towards him and he jumped back. The light disappeared as it hit the mud, and Neji quickly gathered his thoughts.

He grabbed his shoulder, fingers tucking under the torn cloth and feeling the edges. He felt soot ground between his fingers, and he curiously stared up at Tenten, her shikai now active and crackling with coils of sporadic yellow; electricity. Neji mentally cursed, rising to his feet and ignoring the slight throbbing in his shoulder from where the lightning had sheered over him.

That was just a tester. Now the real battle begins.

The Hyuuga's eyes were analysing, knowing full well that her Zanpaku-to was of Kidō type—electricity—and that it didn't particularly affect the use of his—_shit,_ he swore. _Metal conducts electricity and both katana's are of the same metal. That covering..._ he made note of the black bulbs placed all of it and with his keen eyes, as well as memory from when they spoke earlier, they could be rubber, therefore... _the electricity her Zanpaku-to conjures is maintained within the scabbard, and that's why it crackles when released—maybe even in its sealed state it may do the same._

_The lightning shots are fast..._ he remembered the burn on his skin briefly... _and hurt too. It was just a warning. _Neji matched her determined brown eyes and felt his skin on his brow wrinkle as he slid into a stance. _She was good as a ninja, but more damage can be done with a well-aimed lightning bolt._ He chuckled. _And Kami knows her aim is impeccable. She can be dangerous; and my Zanpaku-to may not—no..._

_**That's right, young one. Use force.**_

Neji nodded to himself. Unubore was right. First he should try it, and if it doesn't work, he'd find a way around it.

He took a step back—Tenten tensed—before jumping back another few metres and bringing his katana up above his head. Within the same breath Neji swung it down from the right, creating a crescent motion, and at the same time, a gust of harsh wind billowed from his blade and sailed outwards, the mist from the previous fight collecting in it. He repeated the action, spinning on his foot as she swung the blade again, and then again, the gales increasing.

Grass stretched against the current, hair was tossed and knotted, clothes almost tearing at the seams at the ferocity of the wind. And soon enough, the Hyuuga was hidden amongst the blurs of the conjured tornado-like attack, his brown hair loose and whipping like mad.

Tenten readied herself, gripping her weapon tighter. "Lightning can still pass through. After all, it has an attraction to metal!" And she shot another bolt towards the wind, confident that it would herd towards the metal of Neji's katana, but it was eradicated as a collection of sharp metal feathers darted from the wind. The electricity absorbed into them and the impact made them fall, but another group swiftly appeared and whizzed towards the brunette female.

She cursed, knowing that Neji was now planning to watch her moves, despite the fact that wind was hurling around him. Tenten dodged them by jumping back, but as the feathers started to drop towards the mud, they were once again lifted by a rogue gust of air and she was forced to deflect them with her katana.

She managed to, but by that time more were sent in her direction and she let out some exertion before getting ready to defend herself, stepping forward.

Then she felt it; sharp pains slicing across her thighs and shoulders. Tenten grimaced, groaning with the pain and collapsing to her knees. She looked up to notice that the attack was halted, or at least—Tenten hurriedly whirled around, ignoring the mud that seeped into her wounds on her legs.

The feathers... they were gone.

_**Hey, chick, remember what his Zanpaku-to looked like**_, Hageshii Kiiro spoke as the wielder tried to listen through the wind. It was an easy feat considering his deep voice.

_Right..._ she swallowed, lifting herself up to her feet with relative ease. _The feathers are those sharp points on his blade... but that doesn't explain why they are no longer on the ground... why they are gone._

_**Think about it, chick. Think about it reeeeally hard.**_

_You always did like teasing me. And giving me riddles._

His throaty laughter echoed in her mind. _**Beginning, middle and end. There's ya riddle.**_

_Kii!_

His laughter resonated again but she didn't have to respond as she dodged another flurry of metal points. Jumping back, and then back again.

_**Mid-dle,**_ Hage sang.

_What?_

_**Oooo, look out, chick!**_ He chuckled.

Tenten dodged again, flipping over the collection of embedded knives before resting firmly on the drying mud.

_**Bad idea,**_ he whispered.

_What?_

And then sharp pains skewered through her body again. Blood shot from her throat as the shinigami fell to the ground, feathers sticking out from her back like a porcupine, over a dozen of them. Tenten tried to think through the pain, tried to ignore the jerking in her veins as the pain continued to course through to her brain.

_Beginning. Middle._ She coughed blood onto the dirt. _And end._

The wind slowly started to reduce, the weather lightening as Neji willed himself to a firm halt. Wisps of gusts continued to whirl around him and the field but things were now visible as he held his Zanpaku-to firmly in his hand and took a step towards his former teammate. Everyone noticed that many of the sharp points on his blade were gone, and instantly connected them to the feathers protruding from Tenten's back.

_**That's right, chick.**_

* * *

"Well, Captain Kenpachi, it seems my student may have won," Hitsugaya said, his body still facing the field even though the question was directed to the massive man two people down from him. The Captain laughed at the idea, earning him a death glare from the prodigy. "Why are you laughing?" he growled.

Zaraki bared his teeth, gaining interest from the rest of the Captain's around him. "Don't be so sure, shrimp."

"Don't call me that!"

* * *

_A story has a beginning, middle and end. But... I don't think... you mean that. _

_**Not necessarily, chick.**_

_Lemme think. You said... middle... when I kept jumping back. They landed between me... and him. _Tenten's fingers slightly dug into the soft dirt, soil caking under her nails._ And if they were 'beginning' when behind me... then... Neji's the 'end'... but... what?... The beginning has to already be there, and they were... they were thrown there. Then... 'not necessarily'...? _

_**Quickly.**_

_A story... _her body tensed when realisation struck her_. The end is seen throughout the story, beginning and the middle; foreshadowing! Meaning that Neji drew the knives back to him, that's why they disappeared. Now I know more of his technique!_

_**Wasn't so difficult was it, chick? Now, how 'bout making some fancy move to surprise the young drake?**_

She sensed him draw closer, and as soon as he was within range, Tenten acted. She rose with unprecedented speed and was already swinging her Zanpaku-to at Neji by the time he realised she was already moving.

_Twang!_

Blades locked, weight on Neji as he was caught unprepared by her swiftness. There was a cheer from the crowds at the signal that the fight was still on. Both teaching Captain's shared a look; Kenpachi cocky, Hitsugaya pissed.

Eyes of a ninja met, both pairs determined to show their true potential. Inwardly, Neji was seething at the fact that he wasn't better prepared for the move.

Electricity sparkled around her blade, and the Hyuuga started to feel a rushing sensation through his arm as Tenten began to send lightning through his blade. Heat was increasing in his arm as the transaction continued, and Neji winced, feeling as though the inside of his forearm and knuckles was peeling.

He growled as he swiftly jumped back, narrowly evading the fall of her blade at the loss of the block. But before he knew it, he was thrown across the field, ribs screaming with pain from a lightning fast kick to the chest.

Desperate, Neji opened his eyes, seeing a very visible Tenten until she became a visage and was gone. He widened his orbs when he sensed her presence to the side of him, and before he could block he was flung across the field once more, sliding through the soft mud as gravity started to crush him.

She was fast.

Blows continued to be thrown against the Hyuuga, like he was nothing more than a rag doll against a ferocious dog. Sakura couldn't decide what to think as she stood and watched, Hinata's hand clenched tightly around her own as she surveyed wide-eyed. "Neji..." she whispered. Never before had she seen her cousin getting so beat by his teammate—that time in the Chuunin Exams excluded.

Panic gurgled within Neji as he continued to take the blows, and anger followed soon after. His Zanpaku-to was on the ground, lying there, bare, and because of that he felt even more defenceless. He was growing tired of it, fast.

He had to see her. He had to see where she was moving and hopefully dodge just in time, as he could tell that every time before she hit there was a brief pause where she took aim.

_Crack!_

A gasp sighed from his lips as his bones started to wear down, caving, poking at his innards uncomfortably.

_That's _it!

Neji forced reiryoku from all around his body to his eyes, hoping, praying, pushing his Byakugan to activate. He had been trying to slowly ease the bloodline into use over the months but had not been close to it, however now things were strained; they were necessary. He was willing to endure the pain, as he was positive that his damaged pride would hurt more if he lost.

The energy clambered to his eyes, slicking through the small veins of the optical lens and then expanding the skin by the temple.

Then it all went wrong.

The only thing he felt before darkness consumed him was a destructive collection of sharp stabs thickening within his head and the quiet release of air from his lungs as he lost sight and consciousness.

* * *

_**(1)**_ – "_Kootte Me" = Freezing Eye._

_**(2)**_ – "_Kuro" = Black._

_**(3) **_– "_Unubore" = Humming Pride._

_**(4)**_ – "_Hageshii Kiiro" = Splitting Yellow._

_I'm horrible at picking names as I'm not quite sure how they're picked, so I chose words that related to both the person and the Zanpaku-to's abilities. _

_Anyway, I liked what happened in this chapter but I don't think I executed it properly; which, frankly, sucks. I hope you still liked it, and apologies for the fight scenes. It's actually harder to think of how the fight pans out than writing it but even then I had trouble._

_Oooo, what happened to Neji? *grins evilly* More development with Sakura and Byakuya too. Anybody got any opinions on their Spirits? I do intend to show them, mainly Sakura's, and their current form in shikai. Jinzen is a real term in Bleach, btw._

_Good news, or bad news depending on how you look at it, I have approximately 4 – 6 chapters of this to go before Part Two begins. :D I'm surprised, actually, that I have only that many; I thought it'd be more._

_Ummm... can someone please tell me about flaws in characterisation? I feel like I'm failing in that compartment and I need feedback in that area because I'm getting worried. So... if ya can? Besides that..._

_THANKYOU FOR THE AWESOME SAUCESOME FEEDBACK! XD It is appreciated a lot. :D And I'd also like to thank SmilingArtist for helping me with the Japanese translations with the names.  
_

_. Please vote in my BLExNAR poll and read my other oneshots concerning the same fandoms._

_Please review and/or give constructive criticism!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Bleach or Naruto._


	12. The Rage

_Warnings? Uh... swearing... drama... anger... tears... more answers... even more questions... don't kill me please. -_- Uh... also that you'd probably be annoyed with some things in this chapter but I'll just say that those times are in a certain point of view, and are therefore not entirely shown—yet. More?... this chapter is long. It was originally meant to have much more in it but when I was half way through it was already at 20000 words so I cut it in half, thus the cliffhanger. _

_Uh, sorta nervous about this chapter..._

_

* * *

_

FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM  
**~12~  
**"The Rage Part 1"

* * *

"Well, things have certainly taken a turn, haven't they?" Zaraki beamed, watching Unohana check the unconscious Hyuuga's vital signs accordingly before ushering for a stretcher. The limp boy, bloody and dirty, was lifted with ease onto the carrier bed when it arrived, the 4th Captain by his side.

"Indeed they have," Ukitake commented, coughing quietly into his fist before turning to Aizen on the other side of him. "What do you think of their abilities so far, Captain Aizen? I'm looking particularly forward to Ino's fight."

The brunette chuckled. "As am I. I have a feeling that she would win her next match."

"Oh?" Byakuya, despite being a few people down, had heard this statement and approached the calm 5th Captain. "And where does this confidence come from, I wonder?" He stared him in the eyes, as if to show he wasn't going to back down by well said words.

Aizen casually took off his glasses and began cleaning them. "Well, Ino did have two Captain's training her and—"

"Am I to understand, Captain Aizen, that you think your... _student_..." he said it almost accusingly, trying to get the point across that the blond was not a pupil to the man, "...would be able to defeat mine and/or, the student of the Head-Captain?"

Kenpachi's rumbling laugh was heard. "Ahh, you have a point, Byakuya."

"_Captain_... Kuchiki," the noble corrected, lips lifted into a very light snarl.

Aizen slipped on his black-rimmed glasses with a smile. "Dear me, I forgot that you were Sakura's teacher, and that the Head-Captain has been teaching that... boy." His brown eyes flittered over to Kiba who was at least a head taller than the other remaining ex-nin around him—not to mention he was at least two Ino's in width. "Now I am _very_ curious in who would win the next match."

"Ne..." Gin popped his head into the slowly forming circle of Captain's, his ever present smile deterring the group a little from their previous conversation. "There are odd numbers of shin-nin, so—"

"—shini-nin?" Ukitake and Zaraki cut off at the same time, raising an eyebrow at the strange term to refer to the ex-nin.

Gin merely shrugged. "Who's going to fight against the odd one out, is what I'm wondering."

Kenpachi looked thoughtful, a deranged smile still on his face from the win his student had scored; he didn't doubt that the boys from the rest of the barracks would throw a party for their kitten. "You got a point there, Gin."

"Maybe they'll get an unseated shinigami to fight them," Ukitake suggested, glancing over his shoulder continuously until he suddenly left, approaching the still Hitsugaya. Kenpachi laughed heartily, deriving pleasure from the boy's loss.

"That boy's probably petrified that his student lost," he remarked, eyes wide with glee.

Byakuya narrowed his eyes. "It's not about who wins, Captain Kenpachi, but an evaluation of their current skill."

Gin and Aizen chuckled, the latter the one speaking next. "I believe you just contradicted yourself, _Captain_ Byakuya." The emphasis on the title earned the brunette a deadly glare. "I wasn't aware that you were a hypocrite."

Byakuya opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by Gin, who had a finger tapping his chin in thought. "That Sai kid is quite creepy, if ya ask me." The noble and brunette stared at each other but Aizen was the first to look away, leaving Byakuya giving him a pointed look of suspicion.

"We weren't," the 6th Captain said nonetheless. Gin playfully pouted.

Kenpachi laughed. "You're one to talk, Ichimaru."

"Now, now, that isn't fair," the 3rd Captain batted. "You weren't there during the invasion."

The tall brute paused. "I wish I was," he mumbled, crossing his arms. "Why? What happened?"

"Sai wasn't originally meant to come but he was insisted upon being put into the program. So he was," Aizen explained. "The reason why he wasn't added in the first place was because his level of ability as a ninja was too great."

"Yet he's here?"

"Yup!" Gin grinned. "So since he's strong as a ninja, he would have taken longer to convert his chakra. But how was he able to perform a level 11 Kidō?" Several pairs of eyes veered towards the short, plait, piggy-tailed Captain down from them. Soi Fon's attention was directed elsewhere, her arms crossed as she scowled for some reason.

"Must have skill as a teacher," Kenpachi said more to himself before he blinked and then tossed his head back and guffawed. His sudden rupture into laughter caused flinches from those around him. "Oh man! We haven't even seen the full potential for that boy!" He beamed, eyes wide with excitement as thoughts of the future opportunity filled his mind. "I'm looking forward to seeing his bankai!"

Gin nodded thoughtfully in the background, his smile widening. "Although, ya could still tell that da boy needs a lot of work for that particular Kidō. The shield broke even when there was the slightest bit of pressure against it." He shrugged. "Which reminds me..." his sealed eyes glazed over the Captain's involved in the 'conversation'. "Who did ya nominate back den?"

There was a slight pause, wherein which Kenpachi reduced himself to a silence as he listened to the answers. He had heard of the Captain's selecting certain ninja to take part in the program, but didn't know who selected who. His grin returned as he crossed his bulky arms across his bared chest.

Byakuya eyed them. "I do not think it is necessary."

Ichimaru shrugged again, as if to say 'why not?'

"I agree, Captain Kuchiki," Aizen concurred with a pleasant smile, patting at the white sleeves of his haori absentmindedly. "I think it will be interesting to know." He chuckled. "It's no secret that I suggested Ino Yamanaka." Byakuya almost seemed to roll his eyes.

"Apparently Head-Captain Yamamoto suggested a few of them as well," Gin informed. He lifted up three fingers, beaming. "Three of them, in fact." Kenpachi raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so?"

Ichimaru nodded. "Yes. Shikamaru Nara; Kiba Inuzuka; and Shino Aburame," he counted off.

The 11th Captain raised an eyebrow, the scars on his face stretching with the lifting skin. "Two of those names I don't recognise. Why?"

Byakuya answered. "Shikamaru Nara and Shino Aburame were originally selected for the program, due to their intelligence and ability in battle. Their techniques would have been beneficial for Soul Society, but unfortunately, the conditions couldn't be met. Shino Aburame was selected by three Captain's: Head-Captain Yamamoto, Captain Hitsugaya and Captain Ichimaru. He couldn't follow due to his skin deep connection with his clan, and I mean this literally."

Kenpachi snorted. "What?" he asked, a grin crawling onto his face.

The Kuchiki noble slightly smirked, earning a few startled reactions—or raised eyebrows—at the small gesture. "He's like a human hive," Byakuya finished. "The Aburame clan has selected heirs throughout their lineage who has the ability to attune with a certain type of bug; a kikai bug. They come in swarms. This selected Aburame can command them at will, all because they share his body; a host."

The buff Captain seemed to grow larger as Byakuya continued to explain the perplexity of the ninja species. "This is getting interesting."

"A kikai bug has the ability to drain a ninja of their chakra, so a swarm does major damage. Furthermore, this Aburame, in particular, was very smart," the noble ended.

"But not as smart as Shikamaru Nara," Aizen cut in. "Shino Aburame was withdrawn because the conversion from chakra to reiryoku would greatly affect the bugs that live inside of him. Shikamaru Nara was withdrawn because of his intelligence, and the benefits it may have on Konoha. It would have been a foolish thing to do if they let the boy come with us."

Kenpachi exhaled shakily through his clenched teeth, excitement filling him to his toes and fingers as he soaked in what his fellow shinigami were saying. These ninja must be quite formidable to have such techniques and knowledge and be able to exploit them. He clenched his tan fingers tightly together as he let out a breathy chuckle. "Oh man, I wanna fight one of these ninja," he said, stimulated.

"Captain Ichimaru already has," Byakuya spilled, turning his eyes towards the casual silver-head.

The taller shinigami's eyes expanded, the white of them glowing with anticipation. "Oh really? What was it like?"

"Who was it?" Aizen jotted in, curiosity in his words.

"The Copy-nin; Kakashi Hatake."

The brunette shinigami rounded on the 3rd Captain with ease, his eyes showing complete interest as he prodded the other to explain more of the battle. Ichimaru was more than ready to explain what it was like, as it was rather interesting than fighting a regular hollow; or even shinigami.

"He's a jounin, one of the top level ninja in the village, Captain Kenpachi," Byakuya explained. "He wouldn't be easy to defeat."

"This is too much," Kenpachi slithered, grabbing his face with clawed hands as he tried to force himself to stop the shaking of his excited body. "It sounds like there is a smorgasbord of powerful fighters there!" He breathed out shakily through his nostrils. "I have to fight one of them; or all of them! At once!"

"Sounds like Kenny is in a good mood!" a chirpy voice cried as a pink and black blob perched itself on the larger man's broad shoulder. Yachiru giggled, nonplussed by the stoic reactions to her sudden presence.

"You bet I am, Yachiru!"

"Yay!"

"Captain Kuchiki," Aizen drawled, ignoring the two 11th Division members and turning his eyes towards the noble without turning his head. He stared at the other through long lashes, a slight smile on his lips. "Were you the one who selected your student?"

Byakuya stared at him for a few seconds before '_hmming_' and changing his attention back to the scorched and muddy filed, leaving the question hanging. It shouldn't matter who picked who when it happened two years ago.

* * *

Tenten remained where she was on the field, letting Isane—who she knew was from the 4th Division—to look over her wounds that marred her back. She was covered in mud, and the brunette brusquely rubbed at her cheek with the back of her hand that wasn't holding her Zapaku-to.

She winced whenever her cuts were touched, and before long, she was forced to put away her katana and let herself be dragged towards the makeshift hospital nearby. The brunette didn't get what Isane was saying, but only managed to hear that the wounds on her legs were infected because of the mud. After that, Tenten spent her focus on trying to process the fact that she had just _won_ against her teammate.

Never had she thought she would get to feel the... _adrenaline_ of the victory gush through her veins, but yet it was there. Yet it was there, mingled with guilt. Neji's pride would be seriously damaged when he awoke—_if_, he awoke.

Tenten gasped, mind hammering. Her body felt heavy as that daunting thought swayed in her thoughts, and she forced herself to a halt, pushing into Isane's hands that were tugging her along carefully. The ex-nin felt like crying.

The adrenaline was now gone, drowned by the guilt.

Feeling breathless, the brunette looked up through her blurred vision at Isane's worried face, her thin plait dancing around her shoulders as she inspected what may have been wrong. "Neji..." Tenten started, swallowing the gathering saliva and then trying to start again through the lack of air—oh, Kami, she was sobbing! "Neji isn't going to die is he?"

Isane's taut face relaxed at those words, now that she knew that Tenten wasn't actually experiencing any extra pain. But then the Lieutenant's eyes softened as she thought. The wounded shinigami _was_ feeling more pain, and she would do her best just to ease it, even a little. She tried to force a smile onto her face. "Don't worry, Tenten," she spoke kindly. "Neji is just wounded, but the effects of this battle won't be known until later. He'll live."

Tenten visibly fell limp at those words. Neji was strong, he'd survive the after effects easily. The tomboy sniffled, wiping at her muddy face with dirty hands and letting out a relieved giggle when she just smudged everything anyway. "Okay." Then she hissed, arching her back; Isane went instantly alert. "Let's get to the hospital."

The Lieutenant laughed.

* * *

"Hey, Sakura."

"Yeah?" The pinkette affirmed, green eyes raking over the muddy field. She was beginning to feel even more nervous as there were only three ex-nin left, and they were ones she didn't particularly want to fight. Kiba, because he was so large and menacing and because his expression seemed to hint that the smallest thing would set him off; and Ino, for obvious reasons.

She feared that if she fought the blonde then her annoyance with her might just take over during their battle. It was beyond frustrating. Sakura wanted nothing more than to tear her from that Captain's grasp but it was proving to be a game of minds. What's more, is that the longer Sakura remembered every look Aizen had given her, the more she felt as though he was _daring_ her to take Ino from him.

And this scared her even more.

Ino breathed in, shifting her weight. "I'm just wondering who will fight the odd one out."

Sakura tilted her head in thought, not looking in her friend's direction—they didn't need to face each other to talk. "I'm not sure. Maybe they'll get a volunteer."

"I suppose," the florist said uncertainly, her nails caressing the slight elevation of the hilt of her Zanpaku-to. "They'd have to find one that would be at our level though."

"Not necessarily. If our opponent is truly skilled enough, they'd be able to match our skill." Sakura paused, side-glancing at the female beside her. "Wouldn't they?"

Ino chuckled awkwardly, and then grinned, baring her white teeth and creating a few dimples. "Wow, Sakura, I didn't know you were _this_ smart."

The pinkette gasped with mock hurt before frowning and punching the blonde on the shoulder, emitting a slight wince from the blonde who then rubbed the spot tenderly; she was still grinning. "You've always known that, Ino-_pig_."

Ino tossed her head back and laughed. Kiba and Sai glanced at them—Hinata had been moved into the makeshift hospital after her cousin's battle—in curiosity but didn't say a word; they were both on opposite sides of the girls. Even after two years, the Inuzuka couldn't say he really trusted that Sai guy, mainly for the same reason as he didn't trust Gin. Mind you, if he was asked who he would prefer, the instant response would be the artist.

So when the two boys locked eyes—Sai's slightly narrowing despite there being a smile on his face—Kiba let the connection linger for a little longer before scoffing and tearing his eyes away.

"I wonder if Neji will be okay," Ino suddenly said, gazing sympathetically towards where Captain Unohana had taken him. Sakura bit the inside of her cheek uncomfortably, green eyes wafting from side to side uncertainly before she shrugged.

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

"It looked painful though."

"True but..." the pink-haired shinigami was lost for words, "...but it's Neji. He'll pull through." Ino didn't look entirely convinced but she scrunched one side of her face as an uncertain gesture and didn't say a word. "We've all grown, haven't we, Ino?"

This time the blonde responded. "Yeah. We have. Never thought Hinata would have held her own against..." she let her eyes wander behind Sakura to hint towards Sai—she was completely obvious but the boy didn't react.

Sakura giggled. "I think it's 'cause she's full shinigami as well."

"Didn't think of that."

The two didn't notice that the other side of the field was growing quiet as the Head-Captain once again made a gesture to signal the start of the next match.

"Ino..." Sakura paused, eyes wide as she wondered why the heck she did that. Thoughts of Aizen and Ino had been corrupting her mind at that moment, and all of a sudden she felt a strong impulse to speak her mind and had done so without taking full notice of the consequences.

She squeezed her eyes shut, praying that her friend hadn't heard it.

"Yeah?"

_Dammit!_

Sakura breathed in hastily, cursing inwardly. She didn't want to say anything, knowing that it would strain things for a while—maybe indefinitely. Picturing Ino's accusing and hurt expression was something Sakura didn't want to see but... she tilted her head slightly in the florist's direction and froze at her questioning expression; her eyebrow was raised at Sakura's continuance silence, lips pursed.

"Yes?" she prodded again.

"I-It's nothing," Sakura said hastily, looking away and flinching visibly when Ino grabbed her bicep and tugged.

"Come on," she giggled. "I know it's something. Is it about a guy? Oh, I know it is. It is right?"

Had it been any other moment, Sakura would have rolled her eyes but she didn't, and instead inhaled again. "No..." _Shoot, I coulda said yes... then again... she'd prod me about it and I'd have to lie._

"No?" She retreated back, fingers tracing her chin as she pondered. "Then what is it? It must be important to have you act like this. Come on, you can tell me. I'm your friend, right?"

Those words hit Sakura hard and she tried not to tear herself from Ino's presence and hide behind Sai nearby. Oh, why couldn't she have kept her mouth shut from the beginning? True, she knew that she'd have to tell the blonde sometime, but was hoping to do it some other time; like... in a few months? She didn't care if it was cowardly.

"Sakura." Ino's firm voice, blue, penetrating eyes focused solely on her, somehow made the pinkette make up her mind, and she faced the florist fully, brow knitted as she braced herself.

"I'm worried, Ino. I'm worried about you and _Captain_ Aizen." The other glared lightly at the mocking tone Sakura put on the title for that man, but she couldn't help it.

"Why?" she breathed out. "Why?" she said again more sternly. "He's been nothing but kind to me—and _you_! He's given me attention that I've been starved of from males. I'm sorry, Sakura, but I don't see why you'd be worried. He's trained me, taught me, showed me new things—"

"—Exactly! _He's_ not your tutor, Ino, Captain Ukitake is. And I may not know a lot of things, but I wonder how much time you've actually spent around your _true_ teacher, and if he really _does_ accept the fact that you're following behind Captain Aizen like a lovesick puppy!"

Emotions were just flowing out of the two girls like a rushing stream. Their voices were steadily climbing, catching the attention of Sai and Kiba nearby; they listened in curiously while also thinking that maybe it was not the right thing to eavesdrop.

"Is that what you've been thinking all this time, Sakura? That I'm obsessed with Captain Aizen? Well, I'm not. I appreciate a man who knows how to treat a woman, who knows what to say, unlike that teacher _you _have!"

Shock engulfed Sakura as she took a step back. Anger started to spark within her, the longer the two continued to fight. "What?" she breathed.

"You know what I'm talking about!" Ino started. "He's not appreciative of who you are, what you feel. He doesn't compliment you on a job well done, and has he ever offered to take you out for a gift? Or taken you to the Rukongai?" All Sakura could do was watch Ino's lips move as her thoughts and feelings poured out; all she could do was listen. "And if you're wondering how I know this, it's because I've tried talking to him when I've seen him. I've approached him and tried to talk to him civilly, but he blows off everyone who is not on par with him. He's selfish. He thinks he's the best, unlike Captain Aizen who _wants _to learn things that I know, that I like. No matter how much you wish him to be, Sakura, he will never be Sasuke."

Sakura's hand moved of its own accord as it swung across Ino's cheek, delivering a sharp, heavy slap to the tender, tanned skin. The sound reverberated across the field, getting the attention of almost everybody, including her Captain.

Had she been younger, had she been the same naive girl as back then, she would have been embarrassed, but now she was just angry. She was taught by the very person Ino was insulting that anger was not always the right thing. He had tried to teach her to not let the blinding red to take control of her, but no matter how many times she attempted it, she was always quick to rise. And even if he was disappointed to see her anger surfacing now, Sakura didn't care. Her friend had just insulted him, someone who she cared for even more deeply than she first thought.

It made Sakura realise that maybe the relationship with Ino was merely fake. She had spent so much time avoiding the harsh things that troubled her, avoided saying the things she knew would insult the blonde, and because of this their relationship didn't go anywhere. Without trust and acceptance of the other's opinions, there was nothing to build it off of. She only did such a thing because she wanted things to be the way they once were.

It was just all words. Not feelings.

The sting tickled her palm, doing little to please her as Sakura glared at her friend—her friend? "I have _no_ _idea_ what part of your rant that I slapped you for! Whether it was the fact that you insulted my Captain or the fact that you dared to compare him to that _traitor!_ And what gives you right to say such things?" Sakura ignored the fact that some of what she had said was actually true. "I merely gave you my concern on some matter. I didn't insult him. I don't think anything I said should result in what you just said!

"I just wanted to be your friend, Ino, but now I realise that that is impossible if you don't accept what others have to say. We didn't even have a true friendship from the start. First Sasuke, and now—"

Someone cleared their throat, cutting off Sakura's next words. The two furious friends, eyes wet with unshed tears, glared at Kiba who was casually trying to direct their attention to the crowd of shinigami on the other side watching them. If they had the decency, the two girls would have blushed in embarrassment but they merely glared at each other once more.

Sakura, though, swore that her Captain was staring at her; her hackles rose.

The Head-Captain stroked his long beard in thought before stamping his cane, gaining half-hearted attention. "Sakura and Ino. It's your battle, now."

No one said as a word as the two acknowledged the old man stiffly. Ino, her blue eyes ablaze, spoke through gritted teeth. "Let's settle this on the field."

"With pleasure," was Sakura's response.

* * *

"Oh, dear," Ukitake muttered, eyes wide and fingers pressed to his mouth in shock. His normally pasty white face was a little paler, with sweat beading down beside his eyes and his fringe slightly sticking to his skin. Sighing and shaking his head after a moment, the sick Captain veered towards Byakuya near him. "I do apologise for whatever happened."

"No," the noble replied instantly. "My student has been known to be quick to rise to anger—" Aizen smirked to himself, "—so it is I who should apologise."

Ukitake shook his head again. "I'd feel better if you weren't so quick to judge your own student. Maybe something had gone—"

"Whatever happened, Yamanaka deserved it," Hitsugaya seethed, his arms crossed tightly that his clothing was stretched to its limit. His green eyes were trained hard on the scowling girls, his white eyebrows pointed inwards.

"Oh?" Byakuya queried.

The short Captain dropped his gaze to the grass, eyes closed. "The look in Haruno's eyes as Yamanaka spoke..." and then he raised his head again. "I'm sorry, Captain Ukitake, but whatever Yamanaka said had hurt Haruno deeply and therefore caused this reaction."

The frail man nodded in thought, a frown marring his face as he soaked in the prodigy's words. Ino had always been a wonderful girl, always kind and gentle to those around her, but to hear that her words were as venomous as her attacks was just... strange. For that to happen...

"For that to have happened, Captain Hitsugaya," Aizen began, brown orbs closed in thought, "Sakura must have said something to set Ino off in the first place." He peeled open his lids and sent the young Captain a look that was responded in kind but with more hostility. "And I find it curious how you seem to be interested in Sakura's welfare, when, from what I've heard and seen, you've barely spoken since that day we left."

Hitsugaya glowered, air around him growing slightly colder. "You should talk. I've seen the way you cloud Yamanaka."

Aizen chuckled, running a thumb over his eyes beneath his glasses, his smile still present as he let out a sigh. "You aren't called a prodigy for nothing, it seems." Said person only tensed in response.

"Captain Hitsugaya does have a point, Captain Aizen. Have you been training Ino, more than her original tutor?" Byakuya asked tonelessly, though the question indicated that he was indeed curious about the matter.

The brunette genius shrugged. "I'm not sure. Captain Ukitake has been sick quite a bit and I've been merely helping out in between."

Hitsugaya scoffed. "It's more like Yamanaka being trained by her original teacher is the 'helping out in between'."

Aizen side-glared at the snow-head child, brown eyes peering from beneath black lashes and a slight but twisted smile on his face. Ukitake chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head as he stood between the two glaring Captain's and sighed. Byakuya rolled his eyes at their antics but couldn't shake Hitsugaya's words about Sakura.

Onyx eyes flickered towards his student and narrowed. He had noticed that her energy was slowly growing, indicating that she was getting angry, and at first he thought it was like every other time but... the younger Captain was right. Sakura's green coloured orbs held justifiable anger, and Byakuya couldn't help but wonder what was said between the two friends.

He had noticed that Sakura seemed particularly careful about her relationship with the blonde, and he had wondered why she seemed to try as he noticed that there was some strain between them. He said nothing, however, knowing she'd figure it out for herself.

But the pain in her eyes. He could practically see the tears in them, hear the beat of her heart and blood in her system, could _feel_ her frustration. And it... oddly annoyed him.

Annoyed? Is that even the right word?

Regardless, the feelings that trembled within him as she stepped onto the field were clear.

For some reason, they were telling him that she was...

...special.

* * *

Her mind was filled with the noise of her beating heart and pulsing anger as she moved into place opposite the blonde on the field and firmly wrapped her fingers around the weaved handle of her precious Zanpaku-to. Through the anger and the tears, which were beginning to stream down her face, she noticed that she was also getting scared. And as the seconds went on, the paranoia continued to swell and fester within her.

Then the image of her Spirit condensed in her mind, and Sakura felt herself fall back into the home of her Zanpaku-to. She was back in that cave; dark, damp, murky, cold. The atmosphere clenched at her insides but she was getting used to it after spending so much time in her Spirit's cave to get to know her and train with her.

She was reluctant, at first, to give Sakura her power, even a glimpse of it, and had tested the pinkette for it. Sakura had to find her five times within the caverns of her Spirit's home and give a right answer, an honest answer. The end was obvious.

Her shikai.

"Are you there?" Sakura asked cautiously, the burning of anger on the back of her throat as she stepped softly into the darkness. Before her was a massive cave, the original home of her Spirit, and just like all the other times, it smelled. She was successful in ignoring the stench but sometimes the smell of rotten carcasses did get a little too much.

Then a large, brown paw—fur smooth and clean—emerged from the black, dark talons digging into the dirt with the step. Sakura heard the rumble of the Spirit as she bulkily stepped into the little light, revealing another identical paw and then a big muzzle—fur gloggy from drool—that pushed further into sight. The black nose, as large as Sakura's clenched fist, tilted into the air, nostrils flaring as it sniffed loudly. Yellow eyes snapped open and Sakura found herself staring into the sleepy eyes of her Spirit—a massive brown bear, her ears twitching consistently as she tried to swat at buzzing flies around her head. Her Spirit's body rippled as she moved herself to a prone, dust surfing from her fluffy underbelly as she landed with a loud _thump_; her paws crossed over each other as she stared at her wielder, an almost smile on her chops.

When Sakura first found out that her Spirit was a bear about the size of the Ichiraku Ramen stand—maybe a bit bigger—she had fainted straight away, completely unprepared to meet with a black, wet muzzle and an alarming breath—this had been during her sleep—but then as the months wore on, it started to make sense.

She was like a Mother bear, completely and utterly prepared to look out for her cub; or in this case, Sakura.

The word "Begin!" was faint in the cave but it was heard nonetheless; her Spirit's ears twitched a little more vigorously.

_**You have a battle, child**_, the bear spoke, her mouth not opening but the words still crystal clear. _**So I wonder why you thought you'd come see me during it?**_

Sakura finally found her voice, her heart continuing to pound as she was made vaguely aware of the advancing furious and crying Ino. "I need reassurance." Her throat was aching as she spoke and swallowed.

_**Reassurance? Whatever for, child?**_ The yellow eyes looked quizzical.

"I—" she forgot her reason for coming, and she then wondered if she even wanted to come in the first place or if her mind had just sent her there for sanctuary. Her anger with Ino was probably a part of the reason. Her friend's words were almost true that it hurt, and fighting her, while a good thought, also made Sakura wonder if it was the right thing to do; to fight it out with blood and tears.

Said salty water started to trickle down her cheeks once more, creating a gnawing presence in her lungs as breathing got difficult.

_**You already have all the reassurance you need. **_

"I do?" Sakura whispered, doubt evident in her voice.

The bear nodded largely. _**Never believe the words of those that don't know. Your reassurance will be the first thing you see when you open your eyes.**_

The sound of her beating heart grew louder and louder as the cave and her Spirit distorted, twisting into the centre as a sign that Sakura was leaving the cold home and entering reality once more. Her heartbeat sunk, and adrenaline raced through her veins. She could hear the slow, muffled cheering crowd of shinigami and the whispering of the breeze, the vague touch of soft soil beneath her feet and tears caressing her cheeks, and the tingling sensation of her senses as Ino drew closer, mere seconds away, with her katana—un-released—prepared.

She could hear her breath, slow and steady, as she opened her eyes and met the concerned expression of her Captain. Her eyes widened.

Concerned.

_Concerned?_

Reality hit her quickly, everything returning to normal speed as Sakura felt confidence flood her at the thought of the reassurance of the strongest kind.

_Twang!_

Steeled green eyes, hard from confidence and longing to protect her Captain's honour, penetrated eyes of sea and sky blue.

At the very last second, just as Ino was almost a hair width away, Sakura drew her wakizashi and blocked against the frontal attack, creating a collection of sparks at the connection. Ino was surprised, eyes slightly widening before reducing back to their smaller size as she pushed harder down against Sakura.

She couldn't deny that the solid expression in the pinkette's eyes was frightening.

"Decay!" Ino growled, her voice momentarily breaking. "Aitou no Hana!" **(1)** Her katana glowed, shuddering, vibrating Sakura's arms, before the shape started to change, extending out in certain parts; Sakura had to lean her head away from the points as they started to near her. The glowing faded, the small circles on the handle of the weapon the first thing Sakura saw before she took in the now distorted katana, shock submerging her.

It was slightly longer and now resembled the stem of a plant but with many more leaves and thorns than any regular one. But that wasn't what scared her the most.

It was the purple-black liquid seeping from the tips of the shikai, dripping mercilessly to the ground and sinking into the earth.

"Poison," Sakura whispered hoarsely as she met Ino's eyes for that second and saw glee.

"That's right, Sakura. Think you can survive one drop?" the blonde taunted, jolting the lock of metal and causing a drop of the liquid to graze Sakura's forearm.

At first the pinkette felt nothing, but she thought too soon. Seconds later she felt as though her skin was burning, melting, and she hissed lowly before springing back from the meet and spreading her legs firmly as she hit the ground. She growled as she inspected her arm, trying not to cry through the almost agonizing pain of the poison eating away at the layers of her skin.

She could see smoke wisp from the small spot and she thanked Kami that it was only a little as the liquid started to fade. Her whole body was wracked with nerves at the thought of getting much more of that poison on her. There was no way she was going to let that happen.

And through the pulsing pain, through the flare of anger at staring at the concentrating Ino ahead of her, Sakura twirled her wakizashi around in her right hand and grabbed the base of it with her left. Panting, she whispered, "Breathe, Meikyou." **(2)**

It grew.

Both ends of the blade started to extend further and further, the points sharpening and glinting in the sun until the growth stopped. Her wakizashi was now a plain spear about the length of her body, and her hands were wrapped around the brown weaving of the handle before she spun it smoothly and slid into place. Her sandalled feet crawled across the ground as she spread her legs. She leaned down slightly, her left arm now bracing the entire spear behind her as her right hovered before her, green eyes piercing Ino's.

"Is that all you've got, Ino?" Sakura said softly, knowing that her voice was heavy enough to travel to the other side.

Ino scowled at the taunt, readying herself as well. "Let's settle this now."

"And what good will that do? What would this battle prove?" Sakura asked, surprised that seeing the blonde grow angrier did not please her. "What will this battle say in the end? This battle is merely a ruse for us to release our anger, and what does that say about our skill?" She could vaguely see Byakuya stiffen in her vision as she spoke those words. They made her feel lighter, clearer.

"You say that, Sakura, but anger is a part of you. You can't just lose it in these very minutes. You can't help feeling frustration!" Ino spat, blonde hair shaking as her whole body trembled with anticipation.

She thought she would have felt it then. She thought she would have felt the spark of rage in her belly, but Sakura found herself pleasantly surprised when she smiled and let out a small chuckle. "There's a first time for everything,_ Ino_."

"How do you know you'll even defeat me?" the crying florist asked, her face turning a shade of red. "Huh? How?"

"Simple," Sakura said, closing her eyes in relief. Seconds later, she opened them again, a new determination stirring inside of her. "Because now... I dunno... I just can feel it." She exhaled like a person just finding the light after being trapped in the dark for years. "I just know that I was _born_ to be a shinigami."

It started.

Ino darted towards the pink-haired shini-nin, small hands wielding the heavy Zanpaku-to, feet pounding against the ground, tossing up dirt in her wake. Sakura watched her move closer and closer, until the blonde was at least a foot from her, preparing to swing her stem-like weapon.

Green eyes narrowed.

_Smash!_

A collection of murmurs waved over the watching shinigami, even the Captains, as Sakura's head shattered into a million pieces, the glass glowing frantically and then fading as pieces arrayed from the point of impact. Ino froze, blue eyes widening as she watched her blade push deeper into the standing glass statue, spitting out small fragments and coating the bits in the purple poison.

The Zanpaku-to shimmered for a brief second before the glass exploded, sending a shower of sand over the stiff blonde who let the substance fall where it may.

That was... unexpected.

And then a foot was buried into her back, making her cough up blood as she was sent pelting down the field, rolling, tossing, blonde hair caking with dirt, her Zanpaku-to remaining firm in her hand.

Ino coughed coarsely as air scrambled back to her lungs, and she wearily looked up through her hair that shadowed over her head to see Sakura where she once was, wielding her Zanpaku-to like she had exactly before. The florist winced, furrowing her brow as she slowly pulled herself to her knees before hacking once more. Growling, Ino wiped at her mouth to rid of the red liquid spilling from her lips before glaring vehemently at the green eyes staring right back at her.

Sakura wasn't going to be a push over.

The pinkette's heart was hammering as she cheered to herself, overjoyed that she had executed the first attack with aplomb. She didn't dare to look in her Captain's direction, knowing that that slightest distraction could cost her. Instead, she waited for Ino to stand again and get ready.

Her clammy fingers re-wrapped around the handle of her blade as she steeled herself, holding her breath for a few seconds and then releasing. Many would consider her tactic to be of substitution, but it was not. How it was done would be difficult for her to even explain.

And Ino was off again, cursing to herself—Sakura could hear—when her blade buried into glass once more, her poison useless. Just like before, as the glass shattered into sand, she was shot across the field, a beam of light penetrating her back and sending her flying. Sakura landed down in the Yamanaka's old spot, blade in hand; Ino growled again as she struggled to a weak standing position.

Sakura felt confidence flow through her. She knew that at Ino's current level, she wouldn't be able to counterattack properly for her to be harmed. The pinkette didn't doubt that the blond was wracking her brains trying to figure out what was going on and how Sakura was completing her feats, as well as trying to find any patterns.

Quicker than last time, Ino attacked, poison flying everywhere as she swung and again she failed, rising from the ground a little faster than before once more. The same thing was repeated again and again, until Ino fell to one knee minutes later, scratches and scathes on her body, the tip of her bleeding Zanpaku-to burying into the soft earth as she panted to regain her breath. She was glaring up at Sakura, who responded in kind but with a slight, confident smile.

Ino looked as though she was about to give.

* * *

"Captain Kuchiki," Ukitake muttered, sweat beading his brow as he continued to watch the gradual defeat of his student. "How is Sakura doing this?"

Byakuya smiled to himself, eyes watching the pinkette carefully as he mulled over what to say. "I'm afraid speaking of her techniques wouldn't exactly be something she'd like," he finally said, amusement evident. Ukitake nodded in understanding, his Adam's apple expanding as he swallowed uncertainly.

"It's an illusion, isn't it?" Aizen suddenly guessed. "We cannot see Sakura move, so there must be something to do with her Zanpaku-to that allows this ability to pass unnoticed by anyone."

"Captain Aizen, may I ask why you refer to my student so..." the noble's small eyebrows narrowed, "...fondly."

Aizen took note of the avoidance of the question and smiled, tilting his head back a little to watch the field easier. "There are obviously a lot of things Sakura doesn't tell you, Captain Kuchiki."

The air went tense at those words, and Byakuya felt anger towards the brunette shinigami for even hinting that there was something going on between him and the younger female. The thought was preposterous. There was no way Sakura would ever interact with Aizen freely, he made sure of that by informing her of his suspicions for the man. He knew that Sakura took it in and had even understood why he thought as such, but yet... no, there was no way she could have had started talking to the other shinigami.

So why was it, as Byakuya turned away from the man and returned his attention back to the field, that a dark feeling started to gurgle from deep within his stomach as those daunting thoughts continued to fleet across his mind.

What Byakuya didn't know—but could possibly guess—was that Aizen was lying.

* * *

Sakura didn't want confidence to blind her, to distract her from truly winning, so she tried to constantly scope the field for anything that could actually harm her to prevent her victory. She made doubly sure to avoid the poison resting atop the grass, knowing that the substance would be more than eager to eat through her shoes and then her feet.

Ino was clearly reaching her limit, and Sakura hoped that it would end soon. The use of her Zanpaku-to did put heavy taxation on her body. While she was absorbing the attacks that Ino inflicted, all that energy went to Meikyou and not to her stores of reiryoku. It was a pain, and a huge shame but she didn't intend for it to hinder her.

Her opponent rose to her feet, and the pink-haired shini-nin readied herself for another attack.

And it came.

Sakura felt the thin layer of glass that was boxing her—like a perimeter—shatter and dissolve into sand as Ino closed in on her; this was a signal for her counterattack to begin.

Smiling to herself, Sakura felt herself detach from her spot and whizzed around the blonde so that she was behind her within milliseconds. She readied her wakizashi, waiting for the time Ino would slash into her glass statue, her substitute she guessed, so that she could make her move and finish the battle.

Sakura had mixed feelings about winning the battle. It made her seem like a hypocrite, compared to what she said before, but she also didn't want to give Ino that satisfaction—even Aizen.

She'd have to live with it, she supposed.

But then Ino did something entirely unexpected.

Those next few seconds were too fast to totally discern what had occurred.

As Ino approached 'Sakura', her body weak from the constant repeat of failing attacks, 'Sakura' tensing herself to prepare for the attack, the blonde suddenly side-stepped around the pinkette and was behind her in an instant.

At that moment, however, Sakura had already started to enact her counterattack and was already sailing across the field to take a strong swipe against Ino's back when the blonde had disappeared. And in that second, as she swung and missed her target, instead burying her own weapon through her glass substitute, she was caught.

The field went as silent as the grave, and was like that for a few seconds before muffled voices started to litter the air. The watching shinigami stared wide-eyed as the battle took a sudden 180. Sai and Kiba faulted, unprepared for the turn in tables. Despite his brute strength and size, Kiba felt a little nervous watching the two females fight, and this sudden change certainly didn't help that feeling.

Eyes of green and blue stared at each other through crystal clear glass, both narrowed but clearly drained of energy as the substitute Sakura burst into shards and dissolved into sand, raining down around them. Blood dribbled to the ground, soaking into their clothes and staining the grass a darker shade.

Sakura felt her insides begin to collapse and scream like a chorus of banshees as the poison from Ino's blade started to fill her, fusing with her blood that surprisingly dulled the effect of her burning organs. The pain was almost unimaginable, that she couldn't actually feel it as she remained standing. She couldn't feel her legs, her arms, her hands, her shoulders as she just stared at her friend in front of her and the spear she had lodged through the others gut, dark blood coating the metal.

Blood spilled from Ino's lips and she slowly glanced over her shoulder to see the longer end of Sakura's Zanpaku-to poking out from her back. The sight of it freezed her to the core, but yet she was glad that she managed to dig the point of her stem-like weapon into Sakura's gut. Soon the poison would begin eating at her from within—or so she thought.

Ino was still not completely aware of the effects her poison held, and wouldn't know until later.

The red substance suddenly blocked her air tunnel in her throat, and the blonde dropped her head and vomited blood onto the field. It felt horrible... the pain.

It was a stalemate.

* * *

Byakuya felt his blood go cold as soon as he saw Ino's blade nudge through Sakura's belly skin, and as he saw her blood begin to soak into her surrounding kimono and bleed further outwards from the wound. His arms spasmed for hardly a second right then, as though some sort of instinct had almost taken control of him and was urging him to check the rest of the damage.

He had seen what sort of affect that poison had on Sakura's hand, and that was merely a drop. However, that sort of effect happened mere seconds after the contact, but yet more time had passed since the poison was let loose in Sakura's abdomen. Byakuya guessed that that was the only reason why the battle was not stopped, because Sakura was not yet reacting to the poison.

They may think she had some sort of resistance to it somehow. But she didn't.

He stayed at the sidelines, knowing that Sakura, while wounded, was not over yet. He could just feel it in his tingling fingertips, taste it in his mouth.

He was going to erase all thoughts of what trouble Aizen was causing until after this battle was over.

Until then.

* * *

"H-How'd you... do it?" Sakura barely managed to ask through her numb lips and drooping lids. Her body was still going numb, but her mind was still active. She wasn't entirely aware of what was going on, but she was just waiting for her body to smoke and melt.

Two pants of air mingled together as Ino struggled to reply through the pain throbbing in her stomach. "I realised that... I realised your p-pattern. That... whenever I'd hit y-you, I'd be at-tacked from behind." She coughed hoarsely. "So I thought I'd change that." She smiled through the blood and the grime. "Though I have to admit, Sakura. Y-You're not screaming in pain like bef-fore."

This time Sakura smiled weakly. "I hate to break it to you, Ino, but... y-your poison doesn't seem to be as effective when mixed with blood."

"What?" Ino seethed, bloody teeth bared.

"My body... is only nu-numb."

The blonde growled in the back of her throat, barely wincing as Sakura took a weak step back and withdrew some of the spear from her body. It hurt, sure, but her anger was surmounting and she saw red.

Tightening her hold on Hana, Ino prepared to bury the point of it even further into Sakura's body. Movement was seen from the sides as her plan was taken noticed of, but she didn't care. For some reason, she didn't want Sakura to best her for whatever reason, even if they were both badly wounded.

Time seemed to slow as she prepared to push her blade deeper. Pain etched into Sakura's face as she started to feel it.

"Enou—" Yamamoto started, suddenly beside the two females with his hand on Ino's hand. It was clear she was trying to put her strength into the final blow, seen through her furrowed brow, grinding teeth and the obvious sign that she was acting as though she wasn't aware she was wounded. Sakura's breathing was haggard, relief flooding her system, but then her blood went cold when someone interrupted the Head-Captain, and said something that made her vision go black.

"Konoha is under attack!"

* * *

Sakura woke slowly to the sensation of the sun beating down on her eyelids. It hurt but she hardly noticed it as she stretched her extremities and felt the soft caress of white sheets. The pink-haired shini-nin exhaled softly, her muscles aching like mad, and her body slightly numb, but for the most part, the pain was strangely gone. She thought she would have felt the pain like a thousand bricks landing on your head when she awoke, but she was far wrong. It was actually quite pleasant to wake up and feeling the waning sun on her face.

The door suddenly slid open and Captain Unohana stood in the frame, smiling down at her. It comforted Sakura, and she closed her eyes again as she let herself nestle back into her bed. It was obvious she was in the hospital; she could also smell the scent of certain medicines.

"I see you're awake, Sakura," the gentle shinigami said, approaching the futon and kneeling down beside it with a wooden tray of medicine—most likely. She placed them gentle by her thighs as she checked her patient's vital signs. Sakura nodded minutely, swallowing and wincing when she felt her dry throat. Her look of disgust must have been evident on her face, as Unohana giggled and started to pour some sort of drink.

Sakura watched as steam wafted from the kettle and the small cup, and she felt her mouth water as the scent of mint filled her nostrils. If it was medicine, Sakura wondered what it would taste like if it smelled so good.

"That poison of Ino's is quite interesting but you were right with what you said on the field that day," Unohana started. Already questions flew into Sakura's mind, and all of them at once. "Somehow, maybe it was because the poison wasn't fully developed, the fusion between the poison and human blood dulls the burning effects of the poison. Luckily for you." She smiled serenely, as though the talk of burning and melting bodies was like talking about the weather.

Sakura felt her body tense and relax as the Healer spoke. Honestly, the talk about the battle made her innards squirm uncomfortably.

"You've been out for two days; a surprise, really. Having seen the damage poison can do to skin, it seemed like you would have been out for longer, but all that really needs to happen is for the numb feeling to leave your system. That should be tomorrow."

Sakura supposed she should be grateful that she wouldn't be bed-ridden for too much longer, though it was sort of a relief for once.

"Neji wasn't so lucky. His wounds, though mostly concentrated into one area of his body, were more severe and harder to heal. He'll be stuck in the hospital for a little longer," Unohana explained, gifting the small cup of tea and encouraging Sakura sip it. Before she did, however, she felt worry consume her for Neji's self-being.

The battle between the Hyuuga and his former teammate still lingered in her mind. She had known Neji to be a strong fighter as a ninja, and Tenten, no offense, wasn't as gifted as the prodigy, but now it looked as though she was. Maybe Tenten, as well, was meant to be a shinigami.

Sakura let her lips slid over the white ceramic and swallow the mint smelling liquid in it. She almost wanted to spit it back out, completely unprepared for the taste compared to its smell. It was horrible; an overly strong and bitter taste.

Coughing, Sakura waited for her fit to subside before she asked the one question that was clouding her mind since she woke up. "What about Konoha?"

Unohana, in the process of placing the cup back down, paused briefly before smiling gently. "A squad was released almost as soon as the messenger arrived. Konoha is safe now. The hollows didn't get near the walls before they were struck down."

Sakura sighed in relief, sagging into her bed. "Oh, good." Then another question came to her mind. "How did Kiba go?"

"As soon as the message was given, the Evaluation was cancelled. Your friend looked glad for it, but I had to get you to the hospital for emergency healing. Your opponent will also be released tomorrow."

_Ino._ Sakura glowered as she lifted the sheet over her mouth and nose so that she was half hidden. _Great. _The last thing she wanted to do was face her former friend and risk another fight breaking out. Somehow, though, she could feel that something was definitely going to happen.

She sighed as the hot liquid of the medicine warmed her stomach. It just wasn't her week.

* * *

Sakura really shouldn't have been surprised. Her Captain was the type of person who preferred to talk through silence, especially when there were a lot of things on his mind; and right now seemed to be just that. She gazed cautiously at the man seated on the opposite side of the table to her, his hands wrapped around the cylinder shaped cup that she had offered to him over half an hour ago. He just continued to look into the herbal tea, his fingers occasionally tapping at the ceramic, creating the only sound in the silence besides the clock on the wall.

The silence was beginning to jab at her. It was already 9 o'clock in the evening and he had yet to explain why he decided to visit her the day on her release at her home near the 6th Division barracks. She wondered if there was something troubling him.

"Captain," she whispered, dropping her gaze to the floor when he looked up at her, shifting the full, black locks around his broad shoulders. "Is... there a reason you came here?"

He sighed, and Sakura felt the weight of his eyes leave her as he looked around the room. "You are fine," he said; said, not asked. She felt her shoulders sagged at the statement, disappointed. "Yamanaka was certainly surprising with her skills. Captain Ukitake trained her well."

"Don't you mean Captain Aizen?" Sakura replied bitterly. Byakuya frowned but she merely huffed in response, trying to prove that she didn't like the man and nothing was going to change her mind. Her Captain almost seemed as though he wanted to change her mind, but decided against it as he exhaled and closed his eyes.

"I suppose that... it was my fault," he muttered, sipping the tea.

Sakura's eyes expanded when she caught his words. "What? What do you mean?"

"It is none of your concern, Sakura."

As soon as her name left his lips, said pinkette suddenly slammed her hand on the small table, shaking the tea set and causing Byakuya to gaze up at her in mild surprise. She had often displayed anger towards him, but that was mostly frustration towards petty things. This time, though, the anger evident in her eyes seemed more real.

"Bullshit!" she spat before she could stop herself.

"Sakura," he interrupted sternly when she parted her lips to speak more.

"Captain!"

"Sakura."

The two glared at each other, the male daring her to go against him. True, he could have let her speak her mind, but whatever was said between her friend and herself should be kept between the two of them, even if he was a subject within the fight; he couldn't deny his curiosity though.

Sakura growled, trying to relax in her seat but her stiff back proved anything but. She couldn't believe her Captain. Again he denied her own thoughts and opinions, but she guessed it was one of the first times that he actually said 'no'.

It made her chest clench, though, not being able to express how she felt on the matter that had trespassed days before. And the fact that her Captain blamed himself for some problem, that she didn't even know about, only made her feel worse. He was entitled to his privacy, Sakura knew that, but the problem had to do with her; she could feel it.

She inhaled deeply, her brow furrowed immensely. "One day, Captain, I will want you to know exactly how I feel, and you _will_ listen."

"Is that a threat?" he raised an eyebrow. "What's more Sakura, taunts like that should only be between two people of the same stature; from someone who can back up their own words."

"_I've approached him and tried to talk to him civilly, but he blows off everyone who is not on par with him. He's selfish. He thinks he's the best, unlike Captain Aizen who wants to learn things that I know, that I like."_ Ino's words reverberated in Sakura's mind, making her still.

Maybe...

She internally shook her head, feeling her eyes begin to sting. She knew what Ino said was true. She knew all along that her Captain was that sort of person; very high strung with nobility and his position as a shinigami. She knew of his dedication, and the fact that he seemed to show little interest in the hobbies and the like with those around him.

But Ino was wrong.

She may have been right that Sakura did have feelings for the man, but Ino was wrong with the fact that Byakuya never complimented her on a job well done, or never asked what she enjoyed doing. He did, despite its rarity. That's what made those small, brief moments so beautiful. And it was those moments that made her appreciate him even more.

He was so complex that no one could really judge him by his outer shell. That's why she acted so harshly and angrily against Ino's words, and why her anger slowly diffused as the battle was about to start. Her pride as being his student, learning from him, made her want to impress him and not want to bruise what he had tried hard to teach her.

But he didn't seem to notice; or care.

Sakura relented. "My apologies, Captain Kuchiki." She wasn't exactly sure what she was apologising for. Maybe it was the tense and awkward situation, or something else. Whatever it was, she knew that she wasn't. And he knew it too.

"You do that often," he remarked.

"I have to!" she snapped. Realising that she had once again, Sakura relaxed her body and cupped her forehead, her side aching from the stress. "I just... I just feel like I'm not allowed to tell you anything about myself."

Byakuya didn't say anything, remaining resolutely silent as he sipped from his cup. He finished it within seconds, Sakura still waiting hopeful for an answer, before rising from his seat and nodding to her. She didn't see it though, her head being downcast and her sugary locks curtaining her face.

"Good night, Sakura," was the last thing he said before she heard his footsteps fade and the sound of the door opening and then closing behind him. His scent still remained, filling up her nostrils as she inhaled shakily.

Sakura told herself that she wouldn't cry for stupid reasons, but this was just too much. It was like a slap in the face, outright telling her that what she felt was of no value to him. Maybe she missed something though. Maybe he had said something but she was too worried that she didn't hear him.

It was when she realised she was now making excuses that Sakura let tears freely fall from her tired eyes.

She felt like there was no one at all that she could go to, turn to... talk to.

It had been at least thirteen months since she felt like this...

Since she felt homesick.

* * *

Neji felt horrible.

His body must have been doped on something to make his body as groggy and tired as it would have been if he was administered sedatives, but he knew it wasn't that sort of drug. He had trouble lifting his arms even slightly; in fact he couldn't even feel them!

In the end, the Hyuuga resigned to the fact that Captain Unohana had given him something so that he wouldn't be able to feel anything, and that included pain. He must have been in a whole lot of hurt for her to resort to something like. He only wished he could remember what happened.

On second thought, he didn't want to.

All he knew was that he had forced himself to use the Byakugan and the idea had completely backfired, resulting in him being bedridden.

He sniffed faintly, smelling something sweet, like tea, in the nearby vicinity. His stomach growled for food, and Neji wondered how long he had been cooped up in the hospital. He wouldn't be surprised if he missed the end of the Evaluation, or even the next day, but past that was unlikely.

Neji tried to shift his head when he heard a door sliding, followed by muffled, light steps that he recognised as Hinata. It was difficult, but he tried to open his eyes to meet her lavender gaze but found himself unable to see anything. He prayed that it was just because he had a cloth over his eyes, which was understandable considering his wound was from the head region.

"You're awake, Neji," Hinata said close to him, and he could vaguely feel her small hand rest on his shoulder as if to reassure him.

He tried to talk but couldn't feel his lips part to let him. She giggled, and he tried to scowl but it only caused her to laugh harder; it must have looked comical.

"Captain Unohana," she whispered, "gave you something for the pain."

"Mer, mi murques," was Neji's failure at trying to speak through numb lips, earning him ringing laughter again. He sighed. He had tried to say 'well, it works' but it didn't sound anything like it at all. If he were anybody else he would have thought, 'f my life' but he was Neji Hyuuga, so he refrained.

"I can ask her to let you have speech and some movement back," Hinata said, getting a slight nod in return—it may have looked like a slight nod to her but to Neji it was a vigorous one. "Okay, I'll... be right back."

She left, leaving Neji to his thoughts once more. He didn't particularly like the way she was speaking. Sure, she sounded nice, naturally, but there was something behind her voice that shook him to the core. Hinata was hiding something from him. Whether it was to do something with him or if it was something very important to her that would need him backing her up, he didn't know, but he intended to find out as soon as he could talk—and had some food perhaps.

He found himself remembering his fight despite not wanting to. Tenten certainly took him by surprise. Her speed was totally unexpected, and while she had always been quite swift, he pondered if her Zanpaku-to also gave her a little more speed as well.

He thought he had it in the bag. Wind was always a strong element, its gales fierce and strong, and even more deadly if properly controlled. Well, he had that down pat—he could control it. Just that he had let his ego get to him far too soon to label his teammate as defeated.

Tenten taught him a lesson. And he admired her for it. It hurt still, to know that as a ninja he was strongest of the three but now as a shinigami, was clearly not. Or he could have been if he hadn't underestimated her.

Neji exhaled, closing his eyes for a few seconds. _I'm sorry, Unubore. I was... arrogant._

_**Yes, you were.**_

He flinched at her scalding tone. He didn't think she was one to hold grudges but apparently he was a little wrong.

_**I do not harbour a grudge against you, young one. You have a lot to learn still, it seems, by reigning in certain thoughts. You may have been strong in your former life, but now you have to let it go.**_

Unubore was often right, harsh but right. He had thought that Sakura, despite being a lovely girl, would be quick to lose her head in battle and thus end up being defeated, and while it may be true that she was quick to anger, he was hardly one to talk.

He was quick to underestimate his opponent, specifically his comrades—the ex-nin—as he knew their abilities as ninja; he didn't quite grasp it, beforehand, that they could change.

And they certainly had.

He heard some movement, followed by muffled speech; he could only catch a bit as he pulled out of his thoughts.

"No—can—it," it was Hinata, and the next voice following hers—whilst undiscernible with words—was most likely Captain Unohana's due to her more matured vocals. What was his cousin trying to say?

The door slid open again and he heard two pairs of footsteps smatter around him. There were some other noises, as well as a sharp prick in his skin that he could definitely feel, and then there were some more muffled footsteps, along with the floorboards creaking under the steps.

"You'll be able to talk and move soon, Neji Hyuuga, but please take it easy," Unohana said gently, her voice right above Neji's head, so he tilted his head back as if he was looking her in the eyes.

"Mmae," he mumbled. _That was meant to be 'okay'._

Both females laughed at his misfortune, making him growl low in his chest, and to his surprise he could feel a rumble in the caverns. A good sign. The help he received acted fast.

"Hinata will tell you the details," was the last thing the good Captain said before she stepped out of the small room, sliding the paper door shut behind her. He followed her retreating steps with his ears, noting that there were a few other people in the other rooms nearby. There were one or two that were coughing hoarsely, and a few other shinigami who were healing nicely from the rate of their breathing.

That was quite alarming to hear such miniscule things.

Now he was alone with his cousin, something he didn't mind at all considering the two got on a lot better since the start—the start of what? The end of the Chuunin Exams or when they met again in Soul Society? Either or.

Feeling started to creep began into his system, first in his feet and then in his fingers, before gradually rising up his body and then to his lips. The first thing he did, as Hinata waited, was lick and ground his lips together to rid of the numb feeling, and then he wet the cavern of his mouth—it was dry.

"You can move," Hinata stated as he unconsciously scratched an itch under his chin.

He paused, looking in her general direction before nodding and then finally checking if he did have a bandage over his eyes. Relief flooded him as he felt the coarse material under his fingertips; he sighed in relief.

"You're not allowed to take that off."

"Hmm?" He cocked his head to the side, moving his hands by his sides and pushing on his palms to lift himself up to a sit. He felt Hinata move around, grabbing his pillow and propping it up behind his back to give him a softer surface to rest upon. He noticed, again, that her voice had a strange tone to it that set him on edge. "How long do I have to have it on?"

Maybe it was the drugs, or just the knowledge that he was alive that made him feeling quite chipper. Or maybe it was the fact that he could move again... and he was hungry.

His stomach spoke for him and he bashfully patted his stomach as if to quieten it. Neji half expected Hinata to giggle but she remained silent; this only scared him more. Should it though, considering she usually was quiet?

"I'm not sure," she finally responded. He heard her fingers fiddle with each other like she once did. And he frowned instantly, wondering why and when she sparked that habit again? But what's more... how was he able to hear it? "And—and I don't recommend eating just yet. You might not have an appetite... r-right?"

He did before, but once her stuttering nature suddenly returned, Neji instantly lost it.

"Hinata," he said firmly. "What is wrong?"

"Oh!" she chirped. He heard her look away; how did he hear that? "N-Nothing."

Neji darted his hand out and haphazardly caught one of her own, clenching it tightly and ignoring the fact that she was shivering under his hold. She didn't have to look him in the eyes to know that he was staring her down to answer him. "You're a bad liar. What is it?"

"C-Cousin..." his heart thumped louder. "I-I've got s-some... bad news." She was as quiet as a mouse. Neji unknowingly gripped her thin wrist tighter as he urged her on. "I don't want to s-say."

"Weren't you going to though?" he asked firmly, his voice slightly raised. "Isn't that what you said in the other room? That you'd do something instead of Captain Unohana?"

"Y-Yes."

"So tell me!" He tugged at her limb harshly, getting a surprised squeak, and then he felt warm tears splash over the back of his hand as her head bowed over. He heard it then, her silent sobs as she instead gripped his larger hand with both of her own and held onto it like her life depended on it. Quietly, he asked, "Am I going to die?"

"K-Kami, n-no!" she cried, lathering his wrist and hand with soft touches as if to reassure him—and herself.

"Hinata... please tell me." He lifted his hands, pulling the one caught in hers from the hold and fumbling for her head. His tips smoothed over her jaw line and he confidently grasped both sides of her head, weaving his fingers into her hairline and into the depths of her navy hair. She was trembling; he could feel it. And he wished that he could take a look at her. "I wish that I could look you in the eyes." She tensed. "To try and see what you're hiding through them. You were always easy to read."

He was expecting her to stutter again, trying to form a sentence to come back at him. He was expecting her to blush and recoil away or something! But what she said next caught him entirely off guard.

"You're blind, Neji."

And then he bowed his head, the contents of his empty stomach crawling up his throat as he vomited, feeling nothing but bile escape his lips.

* * *

She slid the door closed loudly, the wood cracking as the frame and the wall met harshly. She slammed herself against the paper door, not caring if it broke, and gripped the front of her shihaksho before tearing it from her body. The sound of material ripping did little to appease Hinata as she tossed the black clothing to the floor, ridding of the vomit stains. And then she breathed in and out shakily, tilting her head up against the paper door as her lavender eyes peered up at the ceiling through blurred vision. She sniffled, her chest burning, aching the longer she kept in the sobs that yearned for release.

And then she cracked.

Hinata collapsed where she stood, letting the tears go as she wailed into her lap, her small hands cupping her head as her hair draped over her. She curled up even tighter, pushing herself up against the door, crying louder and harder, as if the tears wouldn't stop coming any sooner.

It hurt. The pain in her chest hurt even worse than when she died.

She clutched the skin above where her heart should be, holding the area tightly as if it threatened to suddenly burst out of her chest at any given moment.

His face.

She lapsed into tears again, sobs filling the dark, empty room of the 9th Division barracks. She didn't know how she came to wander here but had somehow done so without her even realising. Maybe it was closer to the hospital than her apartment, but regardless, she was there and she didn't want to leave.

Not now.

Hinata hadn't expected such a reaction from Neji. He was still in a serious condition, despite having the head wound, but for him to suddenly go into shock just seconds after he keeled over and vomited? It haunted her. She felt responsible now, for everything that would happen to him. He'd have to go through life again, train himself to the potential he was before, only he'd never reach that same potential again—ever.

He was blind—permanently—and that was that.

Hinata knew how much he prided himself on those eyes. Sure, the Hyuuga clan were strict about the kekkei genkai but Neji wielded the bloodline to full capacity. If anyone deserved the Byakugan, it was Neji.

And now he lost it.

He probably felt like life was as good as dead.

"Hinata?"

She hiccupped, gasping as she sharply lifted her head and watched blearily as the dark form of her Lieutenant crawled into sight. He was hunching low, approaching her cautiously, watching her just in case she'd, for some reason, lash out and attack.

But she was much too miserable to do such a thing, and she merely hugged her legs even closer to her chest and cried again, ignoring Hisagi's presence.

She thought she could until she felt him rest a hand on her head softly, his fingers lightly tussling her groomed, navy locks. Hinata didn't react, didn't push him away. In fact, the sobs lessened, and her heart ached less as she soaked in his touch. And then she did something she didn't ever expect herself to do.

Hinata looked up at him through wet, thick lashes and hair just seconds to latching to his chest, hooking her fingers into the black upper garment and smearing her tears over it.

He was surprised but didn't push her away. Instead, Hisagi calmly and softly lowered his raised hands around her small frame and sat down on the wooden floor, allowing his friend to cry in his arms. It actually felt kinda... nice.

His breath hitched as that thought crossed his mind, and a small blush creeped onto his face. It would have been easier to deter such thoughts if he wasn't routinely brushing his fingers through her long hair and firmly keeping his other arm wrapped around her back. Her frame shuddered every now and then, but her sobs were much quieter—they were the reason he had gotten up in the first place.

"There, there. It's going to be alright," he whispered. Would it though? He didn't know a single thing about why she was crying, but yet he had the audacity to say things would be fine. It was seriously a silly saying.

Yet Hinata seemed to like it, as she relaxed even more into the embrace. "I hope so," was her muffled response; she hiccupped and sniffled. Hisagi cringed, knowing he'd have to wash his uniform again, but he was sure it'd be worth it.

"What happened?" he asked. It may have been taboo but... he was curious.

Hinata stiffened, as to be expected, and he heard her release a few more sobs into his chest before she started to take in deep breaths. The cloth was beginning to stick to his skin due to the soaked up water.

"My c-cousin, Neji," she started, and she sighed, "in t-that battle with Tenten e-eight days a-ago—" Hisagi nodded his head, knowing what she was talking about having been there as well to see her battle, "—he tried to activate h-his bloodline, the Bya—the Byakugan. It's a trait only wi-within the H-Hyuuga clan. I h-heard that it was possible for h-him to get it as a sh-shinigami but he'd h-have to ease rei-reiryoku into activating it."

"And he was too soon," Hisagi ended for her, feeling her nod minutely against him. "Now what?"

"N-Neji prided himself on wh-who he was. Now he is blind. I'm s-scared with w-what he'll do."

"Permanently?"

She nodded again.

Hisagi remained silent for a bit, letting his fingers trail through her hair and her thumb on his other hand trace circles on her waist. "If he's as good a person as you say he is, then he'll get back up and deal with it. He'll find a way around it."

Hinata melted into him right then and there as she sighed, clutching his clothing even tighter as she pressed her forehead against his collar bone, tucking her head under his chin. "I hope so," she whispered again, hiccupping one last time before she slipped into a slumber.

She missed the soothing sensation of a soft kiss on her forehead.

* * *

Sakura wasn't in a particularly good mood. Anybody who so much as came close to her, by just innocently walking by, could tell that. Her brow was wrinkled over her green eyes, almost looking as though it was her permanent face, and her crossed arms as she stalked down the corridors or footpaths was a sign enough to tell people to ward off.

She was happy with that.

The whole mess with Ino was wearing her down a lot—as well as the situation with Byakuya, who she could tell was still feeling trouble. She was constantly feeling tired, moreso than on her usual training days. Byakuya seeing this, had cancelled their training for that day—or was using it as an excuse—which was one reason why she was so ticked off and stalking towards 6th Division; she was told by a messenger who had to experience her wrath in the morning first hand.

It had been eight days since her release, and the poison that Ino used, while incredibly painful and deadly, was now vacant from her system. That didn't mean she was supposed to be walking around though but for a while now she knew she wasn't much of a person who sat still and let things go, lettings the leaves fall where they may. In another lifetime, she may be, but she had already done enough of that as a ninja and was dead-set on not hanging back.

This proved to irritate Byakuya—when she had visited him briefly and thanked him for his generosity for visiting her for whatever reason—who no doubt was feeling vibes in his office even now that a certain pink-haired ex-nin was coming after him to give him a talking to.

This very thought, this very image, put a smile on Sakura's face, effectively scaring the living daylights out of a passing shinigami who knew of her anger and overall strangeness. Sakura paused and glanced over her shoulder, watching the retreating form of said shinigami before shrugging in indifference and moving on.

It wasn't just the cancelling of today's training, though, that got her ticked, and it also wasn't the fight with Ino—which was still ongoing and had to be subdued—it was also the matter with Neji. Thinking of the Hyuuga gave her shivers, only because almost all of the ex-nin, maybe except for Sai, knew how much Neji loved his eyes, and to know that they were now gone? Sure, she wasn't best friends with the Hyuuga, and she doubted anyone was exceptionally close to him, but he was still a normal friend, and despite her brashness, Sakura did have an extremely caring side.

She shook her head as she continued on her way. She wouldn't have been able to handle the news that her kekkei genkai, if she had one, was now impossible to be used. The pain Neji must have been going through scared her, and she was tempted to visit him but also felt that maybe the teenager would just want his own space for a few days more.

If she ever received news that he was going suicidal though... now that was a different matter.

"Your emotions."

The pinkette flinched, whirling around—and wincing when her side gave a gi-normous yell that it was in pain—and coming face to face with Sai. Scowling, now because she was hurting, she grunted out, "huh?"

He smiled pleasantly, eyes closed as he tilted his head innocently at her. "You asked me a while ago about why I drew Lieutenant Hinamori." Sakura's rage turned perplexing to curiosity after she remembered. That was the day she was training with Ginjiro and she saw him up in the rafters on her way home. She asked him why he was drawing that shinigami in particular and he answered with 'same reason why I draw you'.

At that moment the notion was alarming, as she thought he didn't even care to look at others, so after that, she was a little more curious about him. It was also the day where he warned her about Captain Ichimaru.

"Yeah?"

Sai's smile seemed to stretch a little more. "It's because of your emotions."He chuckled without humour. "You get angry so easily."

Sakura growled, hand resting gently on her waist. "And you don't get angry enough!"

"Ahhh, there you go again." The pink-haired shinigami tried not to wallop the boy over the head. Speaking of which, how old was he? "And of course I wouldn't. I haven't experienced any emotions for as long as I can remember."

She stopped in her rant, her eyes growing larger as she stared at the boy. No emotions? The thought brought her back to Sasuke, and she pursed her lips like she just tasted something sour.

Sai was... interesting. Sakura could tell, with a quick scan over, that he was actually innocent with the insults he said. Something told her that he was just trying to make conversation—and failing epically—because he didn't know anything better. It made sense, everything did; the insults, the fake smiles, everything.

And then she realised that she never actually bothered to get to know, Sai.

"That's weird," was her response.

His expression went vacant. It looked strange to see him without a smile.

"I don't know much about interacting with people, so I only say and do what I've read in books."

Sakura flinched, gritting her teeth. "Those books are terrible."

He blinked innocently, before smiling.

"Why do you smile all the time?" she snapped, completely forgetting that she didn't know anything about him and therefore didn't really have the right to get angry at him so quickly and often.

"Apparently smiling helps to avoid conflict."

Sakura sighed. "Well, try to make it a little more real."

He paused. "How?"

She looked up in thought, before stepping before him and grabbing his cheeks and pulling them up. He widened his eyes in surprise—which excited her—and pushed her hands away, rubbing his face slowly. Sakura laughed. "That didn't work."

Sai seemed to glare. "No. It didn't."

"So you've never felt emotion?" she asked, knowing that he must have if he was surprised, even slightly, by her actions.

The stoic boy crossed his arms. "I felt... something... just then. And when I was battling Mouse—"

"—Hinata," Sakura corrected. He stared at her and she sighed. "Her name is Hinata. You'd get along with people better if you call them by their real names..." she glared, "...and not 'Ugly'."

"I was only saying what I though—"

Sakura rapidly crossed her hands over each other, cutting him off. "No, no. Don't want to hear that. Anyway, you were saying?" This kid was weird. She was suddenly reminded of her thoughts during the battle: that he wasn't originally meant to come. The fact that he was brought up without emotion just seemed to solidify the whole... weirdness of it all.

Sai nodded, sealing his lips shut before continuing. "I felt... something bad when I was battling her."

"Bad how?"

"She was... better than I expected."

"Ahhh," Sakura bobbed her head. "Annoyance, probably."

He touched his lip in thought and recognition. "That must be—"

"He's gonna be annoying now, isn't he?" a new, deep voice cut in. Sakura's ears perked—no doubt Sai's did too—when she recognised the accent and speech patterns that the person had. There was no denying that it was Gin Ichimaru, and the slight irritation in his voice only added to her growing curiosity. "After all, he isn't going to be affected now."

She glanced at Sai, who must have been thinking the same thing she was as he briefly looked at her then scurried closer to the origin of Gin's voice. He made sure to keep himself hidden as he rested his back against the white wall, straightening his fingers—Sakura copied his movement, standing behind him. She felt a little safer, although also a little guilty at thinking that if they were caught, he'd be the first to be seen.

"Yes, he will be," another shinigami replied. Sakura stiffened, noticing that the veins on Sai's neck tensed as well. It was Captain Aizen. But who were they talking about?

"Well, maybe not, ya know."

"No, no. I have a feeling he will get in my way by that time." That time? What was 'that time'?

"But yer'll pull it off. Ya have her after all, and she'll cook things up a bit."

Aizen chuckled deviously; the sound sent sparks running through Sakura's body, and not of the good kind. She always thought the man was creepy; his ever watchful eyes, the glasses, the kind smile—his laugh was just... evil. "She already has."

"Ya mean with her friend?"

"Hm," was the affirmed response. "Their relationship was already bruised, weak, beforehand. All I had to do was... touch it."

Sakura felt her heart thrum, her veins pulse as blood raced through them. What they were talking about sounded eerily like her relationship with Ino. Then again, she didn't know everybody in Soul Society, so maybe he was referring to some other people from there; you know, gossiping.

The attempt to reinforce that idea was a failure as Sakura swallowed uncomfortably.

"Do ya like her, Aizen?"

"Hm?"

"Do ya like her? Ino Yamanaka?"

She knew it. She knew the slime was using her friend, and now... shit, she still didn't have her proof. All she had was her word and Ino wasn't bloody likely to believe that considering the strain between them. And the break was exactly a part of their plan; whatever the plan was.

Sakura wanted to face them. She wanted to jump out and catch them conversing red-handed, but not yet. She couldn't yet. She had to keep her head cool, and if she didn't, she'd give both her and Sai away.

Aizen chuckled. "No."

_Fuck that._

Sakura leapt from her hiding spot with Sai and jabbed a finger in the air, her brow knitted as she glared at—thin air?

Her heart beat, previously loud as a drum, quietened when she gazed wide-eyed at the empty pathway, no sign of the two Captain's ever being there, even their scents. She curled her hands into tight fists as a wind blew by, playing with her long hair as anger started to spew from her.

Sai was behind her, onyx eyes tracing over the area curiously, but there was still a small frown marring his forehead.

"Sai," Sakura huffed, rage almost completely taking her. "I believe you." And she pivoted sharply, stalking passed the stoic boy, but finding herself caught as he latched onto her wrist and pulled her back.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To find Ino and tell her what I heard."

"No."

Sakura whirled around on him, green eyes ablaze as she somehow loomed over him, bathing him in her shadow. "She thinks he loves her. She thinks he's interested in her, in what she likes, in what she thinks. Sai! It's bullshit!" She cut the air with her arm in aggravation. "He's a lying bastard! And I won't stand for it!"

"He knows exactly what will set you off, and it's working." She breathed out heavily, trying to pull her hand out of his tight grasp but he tugged harshly towards him. "Sakura. Listen to me." She didn't notice that he used her name and not an insult.

"Why should I? You don't know anything about friendships, or relationships! You don't know what emotional pain feels like!"

"I may not be an expert—far from it—and I don't know what considers two people as friends, but you're the closest thing I have to one." This made her freeze, her blurry eyes going large at his awkward confession. She could see on his face that he was contemplating if he truly meant that or said it in the heat of the moment—but he didn't say things in the heat of the moment.

His confused expression, no longer focused on her but now on an internal debate, calmed her down. He was almost as innocent as a lamb, but knew that he was the complete opposite—a deadly lion, or something quicker.

She inhaled deeply before ripping his hand from her wrist and standing before him, solid. "So what? What did you want to tell me?"

Sakura couldn't believe she was going to listen to him.

* * *

Neji wasn't the sort of person who cried. Far from it. The last time he remembered he had shed tears was the day Hinata died, and before that, his father. That made it scarce.

He didn't like the way the water would blur his vision and slide down his cheeks and sometimes down his throat; it felt awkward. That was hardly the reason why he refused to cry however.

He knew he was strong and confident, and with that came the willpower to avoid weakness, and everybody knew crying was a sign of weakness. He detested weakness; well, once upon a time he did. Now he knew how all the others felt, how they felt when he insulted them for showing such pathetic signs. Except now, Neji was insulting himself.

The tears wouldn't stop coming. They had lasted for at least a good ten minutes, strolling down his face in silent streaks. He didn't make a noise, or rather, he tried not to. Every time he thought he would he'd stop himself from breathing, wanting no one to come in to check up on him because they heard something. He wanted to be alone, or better yet, without an existence.

His shirt was growing damp, sticking to his chest like a second layer of skin, but it was uncomfortable. He didn't bother peeling it from him, his hands remaining limp by his side as he stared—without really seeing—at the wall opposite him. He could tell that the sun was going down, judging by the room temperature.

He felt vulnerable—blind, wet with tears, head and heart aching.

It had been two days since Hinata broke him the news, and he hadn't spoken a word to anyone. He resolutely refused treatment, growing steadily stubborn to let anyone assist him.

Because that's how he viewed himself. A failure, and a failure should learn to get back up by himself. Though he felt anxious about whether he'd find the strength to get back up.

They grew more annoying, however. Unohana visited him regularly, and she'd talk to him, but his biting response was always the same. "Can you bring my sight back?" And the answer was always a sad, sympathetic, "no."

Neji feared the day his Captain would come and visit him, if he ever did. While also thinking that he failed himself, the Hyuuga—he felt he didn't deserve the title anymore—also thought he failed his teacher. He fought, but failed, and dropped even lower than before.

His chest clenched, the feeling unbearable, as a sob pleaded to push into the open, but Neji held his breath, letting more tears cascade from his eyes; the bandages were no doubt soaked by now. But this time the urge to just release noise was too much, and the Hyuuga swallowed uncertainly, water leaking from the corner of his lips before letting out a soft whimper and keeling over himself, brown locks spooling around his head.

His hands clenched tighter around the white sheets as the tear drops hit the sheets covering his body in a staccato pattern. He let out another whimper, water leaving his body at a faster rate than before now that he was letting it all go. His chest burned but the fire was extinguishing the more he released.

It felt good and bad all at once.

And the thought that he was permanently blind crossed his mind for the final time before he broke down.

Neji cupped his face, fingers playing with the stringy locks curtaining his eyes, trying to hide his shame as he wept. He couldn't close his mouth as he kept trying to breathe in more air, only to not get enough. Water was everywhere, dripping from his chin, from his fingers, from his lips, from his nose, it was uncontrollable as he slowly brought his knees up to his head and buried into them, hoping that his sobs were quietened.

Oh, Kami, his heart hurt; his _lungs_ hurt.

And then he heard the unmistakeable sound of the door sliding open. Normally he would have been warned when people came to visit him, as he could hear them come from further away—thanks to him being blind—but this one he totally missed. Another reason why he hated crying; it was a distraction.

He silenced himself, frozen, noting that the footsteps were very familiar. Then he smelled a spicy and soapy scent, as well as a touch of alcohol. There was only one person he knew that had a strange mixture of smells, and that was—

"Neji," Matsumoto sighed, sinking into the cushion beside the futon and sliding her hands over his back. The Hyuuga flinched, whacking at her arms and lifting his head to glare at her.

Only it didn't work.

He felt her tense at his rejection but as soon as he attempted to meet her gaze, the red-head relaxed completely. Neji could practically feel sympathy oozing out of her down-turned lips and small eyes as she slipped her hand from his grasp. She didn't say anything as the seconds wore on, but she moved. He heard her reach a hand for him, and the brunette flinched, wanting to recoil further back when her fingers weaved into his wet locks.

She sighed, moving more of the chocolate brown hair from his moist cheeks that were sticking to him. "Crying doesn't suit you, Neji Hyuuga."

He scowled, tearing her head from her light grasp. "I don't deserve that family name. I came here to honour my clan and avenge Hinata, and now _both_ of those reasons are gone." Neji inhaled, creating sniffles, his chest sucking in as much air as possible only to release it all in a gush as more tears leaked from beneath his bandaged head. Turning away from her, he tenderly touched his face. "I shouldn't be here anymore. I can't return to Konoha either, not to the clan."

"Neji Hyuuga," her voice was stern.

"Don't—"

"No. Your name is Neji Hyuuga. Always has been and always will be," Matsumoto firmly spoke, her light coloured eyes glinting with anger. "Whether you're blind or crippled, you are still the same being you were before. _Nothing_ has changed."

"I'm blind," Neji whispered almost feebly. He had intended for it to come out more hateful and deadly but the complete opposite happened. It was pathetic to him. "That has changed."

"It's the only thing that's changed because you make it so. You're dwelling on it. And you and I know, even Captain Hitsugaya knows, that that won't stop you."

Neji grimaced. "Easier said than done." His tears were drying, leaving salty trails on his skin, but as soon as he said that, more came. Embarrassed, the Hyuuga tried to wipe at his cheeks but Matsumoto had caught his hand on its ascension. He tried glaring at her, and once again felt incredibly disheartened when it wouldn't work. She could feel her eyes on him though, heated with anger at his frail state.

"Then do it." He tried breathing in but found the saliva in his mouth condensed into phlegm at some point, so it was difficult. His eyes were hurting as he tried to inhale and exhale normally, but even as he tried that, his chest seemed to lurch and more tears wanted to escape. He tried to hide his face again and realised soon enough that his hand was being held hostage still. "I'll help you. Let me help you. Let _us_ help you."

He swallowed uncertainly only seconds to another lapse of tears as Matsumoto tried to bring him into her. Neji resisted, struggling, his stubbornness returning.

But he forgot one very important thing.

Matsumoto was stubborn too, and she didn't give up. She insisted, pulling his arm into her, and within minutes, the prideful Hyuuga gave up and collapsed onto her, grasping her shoulder with his free hand and letting himself howl into her chest. She let him, as was her intention. She stroked his head softly, listening to the boy she had grown attached to cry his heart out.

* * *

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune called out, hustling into the Hokage's office, a pile of papers in her hand. She panted, the honey-eyed woman seated behind her desk blinking at her curiously, a pen poised in her paused hand.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, lips tight, before she quickly completed the scribble of her signature on the base of a page and setting it aside. She laced her fingers together and rested them against the bridge of her mouth. "Yes, Shizune?"

The black-haired assistant inhaled and approached the leader, a slight smile on her face. "We have a representative of Soul Society requesting an audience with you," she announced, setting the pile of papers onto the already filled desk—the elderly woman glared at it with distaste before snapping her eyes back at the younger female.

"What? Where is he?" she rose, brow furrowing.

Shizune gulped, shivering at the wrath her Hokage was displaying. "Uhh, he's just outside... ma'am."

Tsunade nodded briskly, saying "send him in" before perching in her seat once more, skimming over the parchment before her without really reading it and scrawling her signature onto it with a quill. Barely a minute later, the representative entered; it was a shinigami she hadn't seen before but he held his head in a manner that screamed superiority.

His white fringe bobbed as he stepped into the maroon-carpeted room, his hands behind his back as his gold eyes lazily looked around the room. He twitched his lips, moving the black moustache that curled from below his nose. Tsunade merely watched him with one eyebrow raised, not particularly caring if he liked the decor or not.

As soon as he was before her desk, he gave a polite tip of the head in greeting. "Greetings, Hokage. I am Chōjirō Sasakibe, the Lieutenant of the Head-Captain." She nodded in affirmation but didn't say a word. "It has been two years since your chosen ninja were selected to take part in the program, and Head-Captain Yamamoto saw it to be a good idea to inform you on their current progress."

Tsunade readily straightened in her seat, as did Shizune beside her, awaiting the news. True, they had been in contact with Soul Society once or twice, but it was just that; minimal contact. The fact that they offered to give their current progress was simply surprising but welcoming.

She truly wondered how each of them were going, and how far they had come from the first time she had seen them. Then again, their sensei's may want to hear the news as well; the Hokage lowered herself back into her seat in thought. "Are you needed back immediately?"

The shinigami traced his moustache with a fingertip in thought before shaking his head. "I'm sure Head-Captain Yamamoto would like me to spend a few more days in..." he paused, glancing over the room again, "...in an Eastern style town." He straightened and coughed. "What did you have in mind, Hokage?"

Tsunade and Shizune shared a look, a smile on their faces; the assistant nodded. At that moment, Tonton waddled in, her nose snuffing the clean carpet and her tail shaking slightly as she brushed past Chōjirō's sandalled feet. He glanced down at the tiny pig sniffing at his toes in surprise, and then continued to watch it as it trotted joyfully towards Shizune.

"I would like to organise a few people to hear your report," Tsunade said, honey-eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Of course."

"Great. Return here tomorrow at noon, Lieutenant, and prepare to meet more of this Eastern culture; the best of it." She grinned. His face faulted slightly at her words, as if not realising she had taken note of his dislike for the style. "Shizune, find him an apartment."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade!"

"I recommend the Tea House!"

Chōjirō groaned. Tonton oinked in the background.

* * *

Sakura was feeling a little better the following day.

Only a little.

The conversation she overheard with Ichimaru and Aizen still lingered in her mind, as well as her fight with Ino that wasn't going to end anytime soon. Therefore, spilling the beans to the blonde wasn't exactly a smart thing to do; Sai was right. The thing is, Sakura knew it wasn't the right thing—or rather smart thing—to do even when she said she was going to do it.

Maybe it was the fact that they were once friends, or maybe still are, or maybe it was because they came from the same home and grew up in almost the same way. Maybe it was something else, but whatever the reason, Sakura felt compelled to tell Ino, regardless of the consequences.

Still, she kept it secret, wanting to bite off Captain Ichimaru's head later that day—after she overheard the conversation—when she saw him strolling by the 6th Division barracks and have the audacity to _smile _and_ wave_ at her. That same moment she had intended to visit her Captain but his pile of papers deterred her and she left—with the addition to his stoic silence. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that the noble was ignoring or avoiding her.

Sakura idly started to make her way back to the barracks, stretching her taut muscles back and fro, and cracking her neck every now and then. However, fate didn't seem to smile down on her at all, because as she turned the corner of the white pathways, she was met with a laughing Ino.

The pink-haired shinigami froze instantly, scoping around her and looking for a ways out before the blonde saw her. She slowly started to edge back the way she came, but Ino's sudden cease in laughter was cut short when she caught sight of the fleeing 6th Division unseated officer.

"Hello, Sakura," Ino spoke acidly, blue eyes narrowed to mere slits as she stood from her seat on the balcony of the 5th Division. Sakura's heart thumped. She hadn't seen who she was laughing with, and was praying to Kami that it was not Captain Aizen. Seeing the two people—or three—she didn't want to see the most all in one day was just too much.

But as she thought before, fate wasn't smiling at her, and Aizen's chiselled face came into view as he peered around the wooden pole. Almost instantly a smile was on his face, and his brown eyes gleamed with a freakish sort of glee as soon as he saw her.

Sakura swallowed. "Hello, Ino," she responded meekly, looking anywhere but him.

_**Meekly? Come on, girl!**_

_Not now Mei. Please._

_**Kick his butt!**_

_What?_

_**Kick his butt!**_

_But he's a Captain! I can barely defeat _her_!_

_**Then kick her butt and **_**then**_** kick his butt!**_

Had it been any other moment she would have rolled her eyes and sighed at her Spirit's antics.

"Where are you headed?" the blonde asked. Sakura was almost caught by that sincere tone she held; she stiffened, gritting her teeth when she guessed that Aizen has most definitely taught Ino a trick or two about sincerity—or fake sincerity. Screw them, she'd rather talk to Sai any day!

Speaking of Sai, the longer she was within talking distance with the two, the harder it was to keep her anger and frustration in check. Just one glance at the arrogant man seated behind Ino sent her insides into boiling temperature. "My Division."

"Back to... him?" she teased, fluttering her lids coyly.

Sakura clenched her fist. Heated green eyes switched from mocking blue to wooden brown. "Is she following your script?" she demanded. Aizen's brow eyebrows rose a little higher at her hissed words before he chuckled.

Ino scowled, stamping a foot down. "Stop insinuating that Captain Aizen is a—"

The pinkette tossed her head from side to side before she cut off her 'foes' words loudly. "That's because he is! Only you don't know that because he's making it so!"

"Shut up!" Ino screamed. "You don't know anything!"

"I know more than you think, _Ino_," Sakura emphasised.

"Is that so?" The blonde crossed her arms, wincing slightly—seen on her face—when she put too much strength into her movements and thus caused her healing wound to ache. "Then prove it. What do you think you know so much of?"

Sakura set her eyes on Aizen's brown ones, noting that he was once again daring her to speak her mind. "Fine," she gritted, and then rudely pointed a finger at the Captain. "He's been deceiving you. Right from the start." Ino scoffed but didn't say a word. "He was trying to lure you into him, wanting to control you by making you attach to him so that you wouldn't question his thoughts and orders if he asked something strange of you. And it worked. You've been stuck to his side like glue, following him and practically worshipping him. It worked! He's turned you against me, against all our friends. He's ruined what was left of our friendship!"

She knew she was repeating her words, but doing just made it seem like she was getting her point engraved into the blonde's mind.

"He's been using you, Ino. You're his fucking puppet!"

"I—"

"He _never _loved you!"

Ino's blue eyes went dull, her cheeks going taut and her lips pursing as she glared hard at the pinkette on the opposite side of the clearing. Sakura could feel herself getting ready to cry again, so she tried vehemently to wipe any beginning signs of them from her eyes. Ino noticed though.

The pinkette was passionate about what she said, and seemed absolutely convinced that Captain Aizen was deceiving her but—Ino side-glanced at the male beside her, noting that his eyes were concentrated acutely on Sakura. She bit her lip, feeling her chest begin to burst when he turned towards her and stared at her with those brown eyes that captured her from the moment she first met him.

Sakura couldn't be telling the truth... could she?

She exhaled, her body shuddering as her mind whirred to scramble up the truths and lies and trying to separate them. No matter how much she tried, however, what Sakura said were lies seemed so true to her, that they couldn't be lies. She had lived with them for two years, so how could they be fake?

"You're wrong, Sakura," Ino growled, her jaw tense.

Sakura felt her body sag, like the bones in her body had suddenly vanished. She had let her hopes get up. She had seen the doubt in Ino's eyes as she spoke, but Sakura knew that she shouldn't have hoped for so much, after all, Ino wasn't told anything other.

"But I—"

"You have no proof." Tears started to fall from Ino's eyes as well as the moment started to grow dark and intense. "You're the one lying."

"Ino—" Sakura pleaded, her heart pounding so harshly against her ribcage that it felt like the bones would snap should her organ beat any faster and harder. It was hurting her. It was breaking.

"You're jealous."

"No, I—"

"Don't lie, Sakura." Blue eyes seemed to glow red as anger consumed Ino. At that moment, despair started to fill Sakura as she watched her old friend's hand grasp her Zanpaku-to and slightly lift it from its sheathe.

Frantic green eyes zeroed to Aizen, and anger began to drown Sakura as well when she saw his amused expression. He was getting excited by the situation, a smile on his face as his shoulders relaxed. He was leaning up against the pole, his posture showing that he wasn't intending to stop the impending fight.

"You bastard," she hissed lowly, teeth bared and grinding against each other as she tried to use pain to dispel her anger. It failed, and she grabbed her Zanpaku-to, fingers twitching around the leather handle.

It was too much. Too much seeing that fucking bastard and her old friend _defending_ him! What would Shikamaru think? And Chouji? What about Asuma? Her father? What would they think if they learned what had happened to her?

It was unforgiveable that a shinigami dared to control a ninja.

And she drew out her weapon, the small blade glinting in the sun as Sakura slid into position. Anger was swelling, festering within her the longer she stared at the two. It hurt. The anger burned her insides. She could hardly hear the protesting of Meikyou as the Spirit warned her that this would only lead to more trouble; much more trouble. She thought it ironic how just moments before, the female bear was telling her to fight them.

Seconds later and Sakura was sprinting towards the Captain, completely blinded by rage. She saw Ino take out her own weapon, but the action was blurred as the pink-haired shini-nin focused solely on the calm man seated on the wooden balcony.

"Decay, Aitou no Hana!"

There was a bright glow of yellow just milli-seconds before Sakura was upon him. Closer. Nearly there. Almost.

"Sakura! Ino! Stop!"

She wouldn't. She couldn't. But she was forced to as several hands clamped around her shoulders and pulled her back, away from the furious Ino and brunette Captain; Ino, too, was being held in place by several shinigami. Aizen had his hand on her shoulder, which seemed to diffuse her anger slightly but there was a flicker of doubt in her eyes as she glanced up at the man.

Sakura struggled, wanting to harm the man that was beginning to ruin her life. It was painful; like her muscles were alight with fire, fuelling her with adrenaline that only screamed at her to fight. It denied logic.

"Sakura! Stop. Struggling!" She felt strong muscles close even tighter around her back. The voice was familiar as well.

"Sakura." So was that one.

Her mind started to mull who they were, dispersing her flaming rage as she started to nestle into the grip of at least several shinigami. She was panting heavily, her head pounding as a headache consumed her. Fingers were digging into her skin, bruising her, ripping through the fabric of the black top.

It was Renji and Sai.

Annoyance flashed within her as she ripped out of their grasp and whirled around on them, her hand still firmly gripping her Zanpaku-to. "Why did you stop me?" she screamed at them, spit flying.

She was met with two stoic faces. Actually, they weren't stoic but heavily disappointed. They reminded her eerily of her Captain's; this forced her into submission as she continued to pant. She didn't even notice the crowd of shinigami that was forming around the scene.

"Sakura."

This new voice froze her to the core, forcing her heart to beat loudly. Her grip on her Zanpatu-to grew lax as sweat loosened the hold, and as her muscles started to contract and weaken. The weapon clattered to the dusty floor as she slowly looked to the side and was met with the furious onyx eyes of her Captain.

_Fuck.

* * *

(1) - "Aitou no Hana" = mourning flower._

(2) – "_Meikyou" = clear mirror. I'm not sure if this is right or not. _

_Bom bom bom._

_So it seems that one of the pairings is now obvious, and I'm not talking about ByaSaku. I'm honestly not sure if that will be the official pairing (ByaSaku, I mean) still, so don't get your hopes up but enjoy what comes in that form._

_A-ne-way! :) I hope you enjoyed the chapter. LOVE the feedback. If I could huggle you all, I would. In fact... *glomps* Also, just asking but... *nervous look* could someone with free time and is enjoying this story try to draw a movie poster for this? :3_

_. Please vote in my poll regarding any future BLExNAR stories. Also check out my other BLExNAR stories. _

_Please give me concrit regrading anything! OOC-ness particularly._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Naruto or Bleach_


	13. Facing Fears

_Sorry! I had told several people already how this chapter was supposed to end but, again, it got too long so I had to cut it in half—again! Apologies!

* * *

_

—**CHAPTER THIRTEEN—**  
_Facing Fears

* * *

_

It chilled her to the bones.

His eyes: dark; narrowed; cold; and directed at _her_. _Solely_ on her. That look alone could submit any sane man to the asylum but fortunately for her, she was not exactly human—flesh and blood, yes, but a half ninja and shinigami. Still, to have her Captain stare at her made the hair on her shoulder stand on edge, sending warning signals of the icy kind down her spine to hint to her to start high-tailing it out of there.

Yet Sakura knew it would be futile. The same type of futile a mouse would have when the cat's paw was resting firmly on its tail, trapping it, preparing it for an inevitable death. But Sakura knew—nervously—that Kuchiki wouldn't really kill her. Just...

She swallowed uncertainly, beads of perspiration lining her cheek structure as she stared firmly back at her Captain. She feared the moment he parted his lips to speak, but yet it happened.

"Sakura." The way her name rolled of his tongue in his baritone voice sent an extra wave of chills crawl down her back, and they weren't chills of the 'good feeling' kind. "Go to the training field."

It was as clear as ice that the finality in his tone left no room for arguments, but somehow a half protest started to slip from her quivering lips before she could stop herself. "Bu—"

"_Now_." The conversation was ended—more than that, if it were possible. She didn't doubt that the steely edge and gravelly undertone in that single word created a spark of tremors in any shinigami below the rank of Captain in the vicinity. Even Captain Aizen seemed particularly quiet—intrigued, but silent.

The moment stole any air from her lungs, so the pinkette had to hesitantly rise without breathing and keep herself straight. It was difficult to take the first step with so many people watching the scene. A burning heat started to layer her skin beneath her robes and extend towards her neck, and as Sakura took the first step towards her destination, she realised it was embarrassment—and shame.

She started running automatically, the forefront of her brain trying to block out the stares that lingered after her. And it didn't seem to matter how much she tried, her eyes still stung with a burning force that persuaded her to release a quiet moan as she turned the corner, the last thing she heard was Ino complaining about whatever punishment her Captain gave her. Sakura didn't care. It didn't matter what sort of punishment Ino got, Sakura knew that she'd be hurt way more.

It scared her, drawing out the loud _thumps_ of her heart against her ribcage as she ran faster and faster. The sound of her hasty footsteps were almost mute as she kept her head down, eyes squinted, refusing to meet anyone in the eye as her shame started crawling to her cheeks, to her mind. But she wouldn't cry. She refused to.

She'd use her punishment to her advantage, use it as her training. Use it to harden herself to repel all thoughts and doubt inflicted upon her by anybody she would meet. After all, it was ingrained into her mind that a mask of stability is a component necessary to be a skilled ninja.

_But I'm _not_ a ninja_, she screamed mentally. There was no one to argue with her. And she was left with a single thought as she turned the corner onto the training field, her steps sluggish, grazing over the flat dirt; what would he do?

* * *

Sakura had sensed him coming before he even appeared into view. He clearly didn't bother hiding his irritation, which only served to unnerve her even more as he approached her at a casual pace. He was so slow. She breathed out shakily, her fingers playing with her plait as she looked in the other direction. Her throat burned, her heart pounding.

"Sakura."

"Yes," she stood up swiftly, head bowed so that she was staring at his feet. Her eyes caught sight of her Zanpaku-to in his hand and automatically reached over to grasp it, only for her Captain to pull it further away from her. It was like her heart twisted in its warm cave.

"I'm disappointed." That was all he pretty much had to say. Sakura had memorised the same—or similar—speech all the other times she had 'disappointed' him, but now... now was different. This time it hurt. _Really_ hurt. Every other time he had said it she had swatted it away but kept it locked in the back of her mind because she knew that he wouldn't drop her so swiftly, but this time...

...she knew he didn't tolerate such disobedience.

"Yes, Captain Kuchiki. I know."

"Do you?"

"Yes!" she yelled. "Yes, I do," her voice dropped when she realised her sudden outburst against him. "I do. I really do."

"If you do, then tell me why I'm disappointed."

It was like there was something lodged in her throat, and no matter how many times she tried swallowing it wouldn't budge. "I-I initiated an attack on Captain Ai-Aizen." It was hard to say his name. "It was supposedly without reason. I was foolish in drawing my Zanpaku-to for a trivial and fruitless matter." Really the last words would be things he would say.

Byakuya's eyebrows rose at the use of the word 'supposedly' but Sakura didn't see it. "Is that all?"

Almost shyly, Sakura lifted her heat to peer up at her Captain through pink tresses. "Is there more?"

"Not only have you shown ill self-constraint on two occasions, but you have also shown unwarranted anger." Her face felt tight—he was wrong. "This sort of behaviour tarnishes my reputation as a Captain because it suggests that I do not know how to contain and train my own student. Reign in your selfishness, Sakura, or I will do it for you."

So many emotions were conflicting in her chest; anger, sadness, hate, fear, but the anger was steadily growing. She loathed his words. He was wrong. And she wanted to say it. Scream what she thought but she knew it would just ruin her chances. But as the fiery heat of anger licked at her vocals, Sakura knew it was time that she said what she thought and he would have to listen.

She glared. "_I'm_ selfish?" she accused hotly. "Who's the one worried about their reputation when it will only prove to be a farce? You should know by now that people already talk about you, Captain! They say you're a bastard, that you're egotistical, a complete prick that interacts with kindness even less than an inanimate object! _They_ ruin your reputation—they _are_ your reputation! But yet _I'm_ the one being punished when I try to help you!" Tears leaked from her eyes as passion folded over her, smothering her, making it harder to breathe.

"Ino insulted you before the match, and I acted on my own accord, on my own loyalty for you because of it. She even compared you to a traitor from our village! But I defended you! And what do I get? I get you ignoring me. You didn't even visit me when I was in hospital, only when I got home, and even_ then_ you didn't talk to me! What am I supposed to think? What am I supposed to do?

"And-And I know that I was an idiot for even thinking of attacking that _bastard_ Aizen, but the _prick_ deserved it! He's fucking with my friends! I won't have that! I was protecting me, I was protecting them, I was protecting you! And I don't think you even understand that word 'friend', _Captain_, if you don't let someone in to even reach that far in your book! So _what_ if I'm not as talented as you? So _what _if I wasn't born into a stupid clan? At least—at least..." green eyes whizzed about to try to think of something, but her anger was slowly dying, stealing all the words from her mind. She was breathing heavily, sweat outlining her eyes and cheek bones, and her heart crashed against her ribcage even harder than before.

She was too frightened to even look him in the eye.

"Are you done?" his voice was like venom; low, hiss-like.

The pinkette whimpered. And then he acted. It was too fast for her to even predict. Her cheek throbbing like mad, already swelling, was the only thing that made her realise that he had slapped her hard. Breathing was just as difficult, if not harder, as she tried to grasp this concept, but still she didn't want to meet his furious eyes.

Sakura raised a tentative hand to her cheek but Byakuya gripped her wrist firmly, preventing her from nursing the sting—there was a distinct, red, hand-shaped mark on her slightly tanned skin. The pinkette gasped at the capture and slowly met his eyes from beneath her fringe.

Her heat skipped a beat.

He was... furious.

"Listen, Haruno," he hissed, but his words still somehow came out as though he were merely talking. "Not only were you idiotic enough to attack a Captain, as you've also guessed, but you had the gall to talk back to me." His sentence ended sharply. "If you were any other regular shinigami under my command, I'd have you evicted from my Division. I will not tolerate this. Your punishment is the confiscation of your crest, imprisonment for three days and nights and eight lashings."

Sakura, through her surmounting fear, gaped, staring wide-eyed at her Captain. Tears blurred her vision as they accumulated at the ducts. Her breath hitched and she shook her head. _No. I will not cry. Lee didn't cry when he was faced with all those that doubted them, all that serious training. Naruto didn't cry when S-Sasuke kept pummelling him. _Sasuke_ certainly cry when he was faced with his near death,_ she regaled bitterly. _This is_ nothing!

A soft sob still broke through her lips as she gazed up at him, her brow knitted firmly. "What is Ino's punishment?" she asked firmly, though her voice broke by the end of it. "Is she getting the same treatment?" There was more to it that time, and Sakura both feared and welcomed the resurfacing anger.

"Yamanaka's full punishment will be given by her Captain. I gave her one day and night in prison until then," was the curt response.

"Oh, sure." Warning signals were going off in her mind but she duly ignored them until she spoke her mind, made him listen. She was already over the edge. It didn't matter anymore. "There's something wrong with that plan, Kuchiki. Her Captain is a lenient, sick man who loves her to death, like she's family. What sort of punishment would he give her?"

"A punishment befitting a daughter," Byakuya responded with ease. "Just like I am."

If it were any other moment, if the scene wasn't so strong in tension and a mountain of other emotions, Sakura would have welcomed those words that she was waiting for, and ponder over their relationship later. But now... she couldn't. Right now... she hated him.

Sakura tore her arm from his grasp roughly, matching his onyx gaze with heated green eyes. "You're not treating me like a 'daughter', you're treating me like a goddamn chore!" The next moment was a blur. Her mind went black with frustration that before she realised it, she had already delivered a strong punch towards her Captain.

To her surprise it hit.

Byakuya blinked at the impact, taking two steps back to balance himself but otherwise looked completely unscathed. His jaw shifted as he ground his teeth together, pronouncing his cheek bones. "How did it feel, Haruno?" he asked as she gazed wide eyed at her red, throbbing fist and then at him. "How did it feel to attack out of fury and malice rather than logic?"

Sakura scowled. "I had logic! It was the protection of myself and my friends! That—that is all I need!" Air was difficult to suck in to her lungs, but she managed it. "Your justification is warped!"

The black-haired noble frowned, spreading his feet as he tossed Sakura's Zanpaku-to back to her and then gripped the long, leather handle of his own. He unsheathed it, onyx eyes never wavering from hers. Her jaw was taut as well, but in her eyes she showed her confusion for his actions; it was explained soon enough. In a crisp tone, he said, "then fight me."

* * *

Neji fumbled for his washed shinigami robes, his fingers feeling around on his futon, which had been his place of rest for the past three weeks, before lying on the warm material. He rested his palm completely on it, feeling the warmth from his hands absorb into it. He paused, smelling the scent of lavender and soap. He let a weak smile grace his face as an image of Hinata crossed his mind. He knew that she had pretty much demanded that she'd wash his clothes when she learned of his release.

These past few days... she had helped him greatly.

His free hand instinctively grabbed at his throat, his thumb touching the thin chain that he wore around his neck. He followed it to its base, a small object situated between his bare pecs. He fingered it, letting himself rest comfortably cross-legged on the floor as he thought.

Hinata, his dear cousin, had also given him a necklace; a small, white feather. She had told him that it would be his strength, that the feather means freedom and that the white was clear will. She was right. It did give him motivation.

The Hyuuga swallowed hastily, ridding himself of those soft thoughts as he roughly grasped his clothes and slid them on. It took a bit to fit them correctly; he had messed up a few times after noting that it was resting awkwardly on his built frame. Neji held the material firmly over his chest as his other hand attempted to wrap the stretch of cloth—a belt—around his waist.

It was awkward trying to tie it, as his movements were slow and sluggish. Before he could use his speed and precise actions to do it, and those times he was usually watching while he did it, but this time he stared blankly ahead, a thick cloth wrapped several times around his head to hide his eyes; he also made sure to tell Captain Unohana to hide the Hyuuga symbol as well.

Neji froze as the door to his hospital room slid open, and he cursed to himself when he realised he hadn't heard this man approach at all; he must have been fixated on dressing himself. At once, though, Neji knew who it was. He could feel plus hear the weight of the single step the Captain took towards him, as well as sense his height and gaze, matching it with his scent.

The Hyuuga grasped his 'belt' tighter.

Captain Aizen.

"Here, I'll help you," the man said, his voice sending shivers down Neji's spine. He hadn't interacted too often with this particular shinigami, so an opinion wasn't formed on him at all. However, Neji had spoken to Sai quite often—or at least tried to spark a decent conversation—and he found that the other held opinions and suspicions for almost every notable shinigami in the Court Guard Squads. Neji was, reluctantly, impressed at that time, but it confirmed his thoughts that the boy was clearly in Soul Society for some other means other than training.

The noble shini-nin swallowed uncertainly, but let his hand drop from his belt when the Captain grasped it firmly and finished the knot. It was incredibly uncomfortable. Furthermore, his odour, which wasn't at all unpleasant, was still very strong due to him standing so close.

"I was passing by and thought I'd give my sympathies," Aizen said.

Neji's finger twitched at the word. "Then, Captain, I'm afraid you're wasting your time."

He chuckled. "Maybe. But still, it must be a very heavy weight you're carrying now that you're blind." Maybe he was just imagining it, but Neji could hear something in this man's words.

He wouldn't have ever thought that he'd think it but...

He nodded in respect. "Thank you."

"No problem. Don't push yourself too hard," Aizen smiled.

At that moment the door slid open again and Kiba's massive build was seen. He blinked curiously at both occupants of the room before stepping in and moving to the side as Aizen made a move to walk passed him; he bowed in respect. Neji followed suit, muttering a final thanks to the Captain's back before the door closed behind him. Neji slowly rose to his full height, his blind eyes still watching after the man previously before him. His jaw tensed, teeth grinding.

...but maybe losing his sight can be one of the best things to happen to him. Why? Because if he still had his sight then he wouldn't have been able to hear the insincerity in Aizen's words as he spoke.

"Did I come at a bad time?" Kiba asked cautiously. Neji snapped his head in the boy's direction, his skin tingling at the aura his friend was exhibiting. Yes, he did consider the Inuzuka a friend, or at least closest to it. He had learned quite quickly that the dog-lover was also very good friends with Matsumoto, but how it happened, Neji was unsure. Whatever the reason, his Lieutenant as a link sparked a friendship.

Odd, as he wouldn't have normally selected someone like Kiba to be close to but he was just like a canine would be; loyal. He had displayed acts of loyalty and kindness a lot, proving his muscular form moot and extenuating the idea that big men were really just cuddly bears.

"No," Neji said. "No, your timing was fantastic."

Kiba beamed, chuckling. "It always is. Hey." He gave Neji a light punch on the shoulder, nonetheless making the Hyuuga wince and sway in the same direction; he was actually unprepared for it. "Heard you were getting out today so I thought I'd drop in and pull you out for a walk." He clapped somewhat excitedly. "Up for it?"

Neji let another weak smile slip on his lips. Kiba was really like a large dog. "Sure, but Hinata..."

"Naw," Kiba waved at the Hyuuga. "Already told her. Yeah, I know, she's like a mother hen towards you now, right?"

The Hyuuga gave a hoarse, curt chuckle. "Yes." Kiba laughed, making Neji wince at the sudden booming. "Kiba."

Said teenager stopped short, cupping his mouth and then chuckling sheepishly. "Sorry." Neji nodded in acceptance of the apology. "Let's go."

"Kiba."

He stopped short on his way to the door. "Hm?"

Neji paused, wondering how to say it. The bulky boy had visited him a number of times, but the first time he came scared Neji, and for good reason. While he was also inexperienced with his newfound heightened senses, he was still able to see—or feel, really—something peculiar about Kiba that had shaken him a lot back then. He had tried not to show it, but now... curiosity took over.

"I'm now smart enough to realise that you are no longer alive."

There was an awkward silence where Neji listened very closely to Kiba's reactions; they were instant. His blood increased, his pulse hastening, his breathing going slightly shallower. He could vaguely tell that the other was sweating, but only faintly.

Kiba, after several minutes, let out a discomfited chuckle, scratching the back of his head, further mussing his shaggy brown locks. "You must have..." he sighed, eyes downcast. "You must have sensed that my form was no longer human but resembled a shinigami's right?"

Neji nodded, and the canine-lover sighed again. "It was more obvious when you and Hinata were both here at the same time." Kiba made a noise. "And I also think I'm smart enough to know that Akamaru's residual energy around you is neither chakra or reiryoku. Please. Tell me."

Kiba paused for a long time, his hands clenching and unclenching, occasionally stroking the bottom of the sheath of his Zanpaku-to; it was a Nodachi and it was slung over his back, much like Captain Hitsugaya, though it looked smaller compared to him. He was the only one of the shini-nin that had this sort of blade.

"In some ways..." he started, anxiety embedding in his breathing patterns, "...the loss of your eyesight is a gift."

Neji tensed, feeling a sliver of anger course through his veins. But he didn't react.

The Inuzuka swallowed and groaned. "Everything?"

"Yes." Excitement sparked. "Please. Tell me everything."

Another pause.

"Fine."

* * *

"Ha ha ha!" Gai beamed, slinging an arm around Kakashi's shoulder and reeling him in to a side hug; the silver-haired jounin's eyes were lidded. "Isn't this fantastic? We get to see how youthful our past students have been!" Her roughly let go, pushing his rival to the side as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation, teeth shining.

"Indeed," Kakashi sighed weakly. His current state was only because of Gai's overenthusiastic antics. On the inside, however, the jounin was in a frenzy. It was a shame that Naruto wasn't there, though, to hear the news about Sakura, which he was sure the blond would be ecstatic about—maybe.

After Sakura leaving, the boy did go into another serious case of depression which took him even longer to get out of than Sasuke. He spent most of his time training hard, and actually doing a few D rank missions without complaining—Tsunade and Kakashi both swore that it was the end of the world—such as ploughing or taking the Inuzuka's canine's for a walk. The Inuzuka Matriarch was a little down herself after the departure of her son, but that quickly cleared up as other responsibilities took over.

Naruto, however, soon left on a trip with Jiraiya about a month and a half after Sakura left. He was exuberant about it, finally getting a chance to actually do something. Kakashi and Jiraiya both wondered, though, if the boy was going to be bitter towards Sakura if they ever met again.

The silver-haired jounin, however, had been training his ass off to perfect his Sharingan. He had been out of Konoha for a few weeks, and sometimes months, at a time, and had made a huge run for home when he received news that a representative from Soul Society had arrived to give them details about the two years. Yes, he was excited to hear news about Sakura; moreover, he actually felt compelled to fight the youngster in a mock battle to test how much she had grown.

But that would have to wait until they met.

So he was exhausted, getting only a little sleep that morning until he was forced to rise by a very unwelcome good morning from Gai; Lee was there as well, fire burning in his eyes as he prepared to race his mentor to the Hokage tower.

A lot of other things had changed as well, such as the teams.

It was ironic how it was the fresh batch of genin that was chosen to go, and so now the teams were completely broken. New teams were modified out of the remaining now chuunin, depending on the sort of mission. So there wasn't a set squad anymore.

There were whispers all around the allocated room within the Hokage tower. It was large room, a number of people chatting to other ninja but hardly anybody moved from their spot as they all waited. All the shinobi, or civilians, that were there were people who knew the ex-nin that joined the program; so Sakura's parents were there, along with a few Hyuuga members with the addition of Hiashi and Hanabi. Their teammates were there as well, except for Naruto.

All too soon, Kakashi would hear news of one of his former students.

* * *

Tsunade stared out the window, her honey eyes flickering at her gloomy reflection before staring back out over the sunny yellow buildings below. She pressed her skull harder against her fist that she was leaning against, her elbow propped up on her surprisingly clean desk.

She was... annoyed. And Shizune fidgeting behind her certainly wasn't helping her mood. When that shinigami had come to her in the middle of the night, informing her that he was ordered back to Soul Society for some important reason, he had filled her in on basically everything that she wanted to know as best as he could.

The news was... amazing, put shortly, but also worried her. She knew there would definitely be a number of unhappy campers when she had to head to the room and report to them—particularly the Hyuuga clan.

The Hokage's frown deepened, her reflection in suit, as she slowly rose from her chair and sighed deeply. "Shizune."

The black-haired woman straightened, shoulders back and lips taut. "Milady!"

Pivoting on her heel, the blonde female stalked towards the door, her pace hastening with each step. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

As soon as Tsunade swung open the door to the meeting room, she was met with instantaneous silence. Her lips thinned at the inevitable talk, and she couldn't deny the brewing worry in her chest. She paused, gazing at each of the occupants for a micro-second, before stalking to the front, her heels clicking rhythmically on the floorboards; behind her, Shizune and a few other members of the council, plus the head ones, followed. Her brow furrowed as she turned to her audience, making it obvious that something was troubling her.

"The shinigami is unable to attend due to important business back in Soul Society," she explained. A wave of murmurs erupted and she tapped a single finger on her hip in impatience as a sign for them to shut up; they did. "I have been told everything that was to be reported, including given documents on each of the shini-nin." Shizune handed her the pile of documents and the Hokage leafed through the wads of paper, stopping at one and pulling it out, handing it to Danzo without a word.

He glanced at her but took the file, noting that it was information regarding Sai and was unnecessary to be divulged to the larger audience. They had no idea who the boy was anyway.

The tip of Tsunade's fingers pressed against the neat corner of a single document, her honey-coloured eyes combing over the images of Sakura Haruno. One was of the female first entering Soul Society, and the other a recent one. The Hokage could instantly tell that the girl had grown a lot since then, and felt a tingle of adrenaline as she stalled the meeting; she was interested in how they'd each react.

Lifting her head to meet their gaze, Tsunade said in a clipped tone, "I'll begin with important news. Over a week ago, an Evaluation was held for each of the shini-nin where they had to display their current level of ability in a fight against each other; much like our Chuunin Exams. This test wasn't to see who was the strongest, but to test how far they've come.

"All but one fought, this being Kiba Inuzuka." Said boy's family perked, the Matriarch biting her bottom lip. "His reasons for not fighting were due to the odd numbers, but also the unexpected attack of hollows on Konoha." There were dozens of nods around the room, as though affirming that they knew of that knowledge; Kakashi was one who was surprised, having been away at that time and only recently arrived in Konoha. Gai could have informed him that morning though.

"Now," she breathed out, her heart beginning to beat as she prepared to deliver some surprising news. "As many of you know, six ninja had gone but I had mentioned odd numbers." Again, there were nods and expressions of confusion. "That is because Hinata Hyuuga was included in the Evaluation."

A cold silence flooded the room.

Then, seconds later, Hiashi Hyuuga stepped rigidly forward, his face white and sharp, his lips almost quivering. "How is this possible?" he asked lowly, his voice almost gone. Hanabi, his last daughter, had tears already swelling in her eyes as she clung to his pant leg, her small fingers curling into the white material.

Tsunade swallowed, and she opened her mouth to respond.

"She was sent there." All heads of the room turned to Shikamaru Nara as he pushed himself off of the back wall and took a few steps towards the Hyuuga Head. His eyes were narrowed, still lidded, his hands in his pockets as he briefly bit his lip. "Neji and I..." he inhaled, looking away nervously, "...sort of witnessed it," he admitted, scratching his head.

Hiashi's lips parted and sealed repeatedly, sweat beginning to bead at his cheeks. Shikamaru met his wide white eyes with confidence.

"Neji and I visited her and my father's grave the same day the shinigami Captains' arrived. One of them was there and he performed one of those rituals that allowed spirits to pass on to Soul Society." Shikamaru exhaled shakily, shaking his head. "He had to have sent Hinata."

"And how do you know this?" was the trembling question.

"Firstly, there's no other explanation for why Hinata is in Soul Society at this present time," Shikamaru said, noting that the clan leader was about to speak. He quickly intervened. "And on that day, he said that "we had been heard". Which reminds me..." Shikamaru turned his gaze to the Hokage. "On that day, I just know that my father too was sent to Soul Society. Any news on him?" he asked this with hope in his words, filled to the brim.

But the expression in Tsunade's eyes was absolute when she exhaled softly and explained. "Soul Society had done a search for Shikaku Nara when they received news that Hinata Hyuuga was there." She shook her head. "They could not find him."

Shikamaru's expression fell instantly, but he quickly tried to cover it with a stoic mask. He nodded, straightening his back, before moving to the back of the room. Chouji was by his side in an instant.

The Hokage tensed her whole body as she rested her eyes on the stoned leader in front of her, his expression still wrought with the news. It was hard to see a nobleman like him to be so shaken, but even she would have reacted the same way; a loved one coming back to life? She couldn't hide the bitter smile on her lips as this thought passed her mind.

She knew of how the Hyuuga clan viewed Hinata, but when they hear the news of her accomplishment... it made her excited.

"Hinata is doing well," Tsunade said, catching the father's attention. His eyes showed eagerness for more information, and it was that that he'd get—as well as the bad news. "She is included in the report." She readjusted herself as she prepared to speak to the rest of the audience. "I will start with Sakura Haruno."

Kakashi stiffened.

She started, listing the previous strengths and weaknesses of the pinkette, and then glossing over her skill as a shinigami. She explained what a Zanpaku-to was, due to the numerous confused looks, but told her audience that what each Zanpaku-to did for the shini-nin were not disclosed, including their name. This caused somewhat of a protest, the Hyuuga's in particular demanding to know of their own members when it came to their turn but Tsunade quickly shot them down. She wouldn't have been able to tell them anyway. This just seemed to give the ninja even more reason to have a dislike towards Soul Society, something that the Hoakge duly ignored.

All the while, everyone who knew of Sakura—her classmates, teachers and the like—were all relieved to know that she had done well in her growth; Kakashi, in particular, felt slightly more interested in fighting her then. The Hyuuga's looked bitter in their corner of the room, like they had all taken a bite out of a particularly sour lemon. They were anticipating the report.

Sakura's Evaluation was what concerned Kakashi the most. It was explained that her opponent was Ino Yamanaka, and that their battle was quite interesting due to the mix of female rivalry. The Copy-nin really shouldn't have been too surprised, though, that both ex-kunoichi had kept this trait. Aside from being told that the fight ended with a tie, that was all, and Kakashi found himself a little disappointed that more was not given.

"Next, Neji Hyuuga." Tsunade had said, swallowing thickly. The Hyuuga's at the back had all shifted and even the others who were not involved with the boy couldn't help but feel anxious.

Tsunade informed them the same way she reported Sakura, and Hiashi Hyuuga seemed pleased of what he was hearing, but then the Hokage paused. The Evaluation. The words of what happened glared at her as she reread it. She had not received results of what happened after Sakura's and Ino's fights, but it could be assumed they were both hospitalised, but reading what had happened to Neji... she'd have to tell them.

"Neji's opponent was former teammate Tenten. It seemed to be going in his favour, but due to a miscalculation near the end and in a desperate attempt to gain victory, Neji channelled reiryoku into his eyes unprepared." She paused, looking up to meet Hiashi in the eyes, the hanging sentence clearly unnerving him. "And as a result, Neji is permanently blind."

The room was still as this was processed. While not everyone knew Neji personally, they did know of the Byakugan, and for a Hyuuga to lose that...

If Hiashi was not so keen on hearing the news of his daughter, he would have exited the room like several other Hyuuga's had done, disappointment—and traces of shock—drenching their faces. Gai and Lee swapped mournful looks, Lee on the verge of tears at the thought of his eternal rival losing his greatest ability, and Gai absolutely quiet with shock. A flicker of anger crossed his chest as he watched the Hyuuga's; you'd think they'd be concerned about the boy's wellbeing but no, instead they regarded him as a black mark in their history.

"If I was not so youthful..." Gai muttered angrily to himself, his fists clenching. Kakashi noticed this, patting his friends' shoulder.

"Hinata Hyuuga."

Hiashi's hand clenched tightly on his daughter's shoulder. Hanabi squeaked in pain, her face ghastly white.

By the end of the report for the pure shinigami, Hiashi's face was tinged with pride but also mild surprise. Kurenai knew why. For years the Head of the clan had looked down upon the rightful heiress to the Hyuuga clan because they considered her too weak but now... Still, it would not matter. Hinata was dead, a full shinigami who's place was in Soul Society. It was a shame, Kurenai guessed the girl's father was thinking, that Hinata only surmounted to something greater after death.

After that, his skin pale, Hiashi ushered his daughter out of the room, giving a slight bow to the Hokage before he too left—no other reason to remain.

Kiba Inuzuka was next, and his clan were more than thrilled to hear that he had grown stronger, but were further curious for why he did not take part of the Evaluation. Tsunade did not elaborate for the reason that she was given no answer. As the Hokage started to digress to news on Ino Yamanaka, did an Inuzuka member call out, "and what of Akamaru?"

Tsunade flipped back to the page about Kiba and skimmed through it, shaking her head. "There's no mention of him," she said, then continued with Ino Yamanaka—Shikamaru, Asuma and Chouji and her parents listened with rapt attention. Her teammates glanced at each other once hearing that she had held her own against Sakura—again. It seemed the two would still be rivals, even in a different world.

The report was coming to a close when Tsunade reached Tenten; Gai and Lee perked instantly, forgetting Neji for just a moment as they listened to the news of their other teammate. The fact that she had won against Neji was something that they both remembered when she started, so obviously she had grown stronger to be able to achieve such a goal. Both of them were equally pumped to meet her and Neji again, to test how far their 'youthfulness' had developed while they were gone, and how much they had kept up their old training regime.

It ended a good hour and a half later. Tsunade, though, didn't want to stick around for any more questions that she couldn't answer. She had briefly flipped through the papers before she had entered the room, but now after reading everything allowed, did she realise just how much the shinigami had left out. There were some details that were unexplained, such as Shikaku for one, and the impending status of Neji Hyuuga, as well as just how well the shini-nin had taken new relationship and the like.

It wasn't enough, and the council members all agreed that this was so. Tsunade couldn't help the twist in her stomach as they concurred. Things were going to get ugly for both sides of the alliance if Konoha was unsatisfied, but even as Hokage she had trouble keeping the council back.

It was no secret that the council distrusted the shinigami. They were initially hesitant in allowing so many ninja go, despite it being heir idea for the exchange in the first place. But now, two years later, it seemed the council regretted their decision. Soul Society was keeping secrets, withholding information regarding the shini-nin. They belonged to them now, and not Konoha, so, in all aspects, Konoha didn't have the right to demand information regarding _former_ ninja.

"Agreed," Homura ended, silencing the rest of the members—they were all in the Hokage's office, discussing the recent events. Thinning his fat lips, the aging ninja turned to the tired Hokage and said, "Lady Hokage. Maybe you could request some more information."

Tsunade groaned in aggravation.

* * *

Ino sat rigidly in the middle of the prison floor, her normally bright blue eyes staring dully through the thinly-scaped bars she was stuck behind. Her legs were going numb, partly because of how cold the night was but also due to the chilly floorboards. Her thumbs clenched at the white robes she wore, an attire to represent that she was a prisoner for the time being.

Her brow deepened into a frown as thoughts raced through her mind, making her entire body tense in anger. Her fingers dug deeper into the cloth, poking at her skin further beneath. Her shoulder shuddered every now and then, displaying a desire to release but then instant self-control.

She was angry. At herself, even Aizen, but more specifically Sakura. Ino exhaled slowly, remembering the news of the pinkette being admitted to the hospital several hours before due to wounds. She had also caught wind that the female would be forced into prison as well once stabilised.

This caused a swell in her chest as Ino thought of the other being stuck near her. She was angry—no, furious—at her former friend; mostly because of her blatant disrespect to Captain Aizen... but also because she caused doubt and confusion to stir in Ino's mind.

It was driving her crazy. She had it in her head that if she rid herself of the source of her problems, then things would return to normal. And the source of her problems was Sakura.

She swallowed thickly, feeling the negative emotion attempt to lurch back up out her throat. She felt dirty as well, having not given the opportunity to bathe that day at all, when she was normally hygienic. She fought the urge to trail her thin fingers through her blonde hair to test its quality.

The sound of a door sliding moved Ino to raise her head to meet the eyes of the newcomer, and instantly she felt her lips thin. Before her, veiled by the dull moonlight shining through the barred window behind Ino, herself, was Rukia. Her shoulders slouched, her hair hanging over her violet coloured eyes as she took a very unstable step towards Ino, followed by a few more. Soon enough, the Kuchiki collapsed to her knees, her small hands grasping the bars and her forehead pressed between two of them.

Ino watched in silent trepidation as Rukia's eyes opened and then slowly closed, letting water drops bead and quiver with her shivering lashes. She could see her acquaintance's skin, now a pasty white.

She tested her voice. "Rukia," she called softly. The blonde slightly flinched, annoyed that her attempt to sound worried was overshadowed by the anger gurgling in her. She hurriedly licked her lips. "What is wrong?" Again her vocals were the same.

The petite female slowly lifted her head to meet Ino's gaze. Her eyes held a thin layer of water that shimmered as she fought against the imminent flood of tears. Her lips parted slightly, baring small teeth as she exhaled weakly. "It's Kaein," she breathed. Ino saw her fingers clench the cold metal bars even tighter as the noblewoman pressed her forehead against it again, sucking in a harsh breath.

Ino felt her chest lurch at their Lieutenant's name. Of course she knew him. Everyone in their Division knew of this man, but what could have happened to have made Rukia come to her as a blubbery mess? She... had an idea. And it scared her. She wasn't as close to him as Rukia but she had undoubtedly interacted with him a number of times. Kaein was a nice man, and if she weren't so interested in Aizen she would have asked him to train her more often.

The silence wore often for seemingly hours but was really seconds. And Ino could just tell that Kaein was...

"H-How?" she asked, her voice quivering.

Her response was a muffled sob. She didn't hear her... friend, she supposed... even breathe, but she did catch one single word that forced her to put her anger towards Sakura on hold.

"Me-e."

Her breath hitched, her heart unable to take the absolute fear and self-despise that Rukia's eyes mirrored as she stared glumly through the bars. Ino disliked her expression, as though she was asking for her to say that everything was going to be alright, but Ino knew that Rukia would not want to hear it. She was the type of person who wanted to learn what she felt, to discover her own thoughts without the help of another. In the considered few times they've interacted, this much Ino learned.

She sighed, her throat burning and eyes watering as she looked away from Rukia's tearful gaze. Her chest hurt. Everything seemed to be going to the dogs recently, that it was almost too much to handle. She bit her lip, her head pounding, and a sob ripped from her throat.

She'd never see him again. Someone who was kind to her; strict but abundant with concern. He didn't judge her, which everybody seemed to be doing to her recently. In a matter of days she had lost all her friends in a variety of ways. Sakura was obvious, Hinata and Tenten seemed to alienate themselves from her for some reason—they always said it was because they had to train but Ino felt it was more than that—the boys' she was not very close to, to begin with.

The sob that followed next, this time, was not shed for Kaien, but for herself.

"How—How is Captain Ukitake?" Ino asked through her tears, her head bowed so low that her hair was pooling on the ground around her knees.

Rukia was silent for a moment, and Ino feared she would not answer. "I don't know. I—he wants to talk with me, he said."

"Does..." Ino sniffled, clenching her eyes shut and letting her fingernails rub blunt on the floorboards as she raked them across the floor in self-control. "Does he plan on visiting me?" Her heart was so loud after her question that she feared Rukia might have heard it, but she didn't show any signs that she did.

"I don't know."

The conversation was brought to an awkward halt as the jail doors were slid open, several silhouettes stretching across the floor against a light background. Ino shivered, fighting the urge to shuffle back when the figures entered. She recognised them as shinigami of Division 4 but nothing else beyond that, and she knew exactly who else was there amongst the escorts.

Sakura.

The anger that dwelled within her did not swell like before, scaring Ino as her blue eyes watched the limping pinkette enter the cell without complaint and seat herself on a pre-makeshift bed, a groan leaving her chapped lips as she dropped her Zanpaku-to beside her. She seemed groggy, tired, and Ino couldn't be any more grateful that there'd be no questions—she sighed as she returned her attention back to the shuddering Rukia, the motions of the newcomers leaving evident in the background.

The petite female's grip lessened on the bars and she straightened. "I should go," she croaked, her single fringe pasting to her wet cheeks. "Captain Ukitake is waiting."

Ino had a spout of desperation. "Rukia!" The Kuchiki member halted, turning back to the blonde. "Please," the female found herself starting, her word muffled by the streaming of tears by her lips. "Please tell him to see me." She didn't know why she was so desperate to see her Captain's face. She supposed it was because there was no closure with him, he hadn't confirmed and rejected her punishment—and for that matter, neither had Captain Aizen.

She didn't understand what at all went through the Captains' minds, but she would have thought that at least one of them would have visited her by now. Maybe they were just busy. A lot of things had occurred recently that would have no doubt captured their attention and interest.

Ino glanced over her shoulder at Sakura. What about Captain Kuchiki?

"I will."

"Thank you." Her voice was soft.

Rukia left.

Now she was left alone with an enemy, and she was in an obvious state of distress. Sakura could talk, now, play with her and tease her for her weakness.

"You alright?"

"Shut up!" Ino snapped. A look of momentary surprise took her whole as she tried to grasp the fact that her lips moved faster than her brain to process the seemingly innocent question. Her heart banged, nonetheless. Where was the anger from before? The fire? "Just—" she cut herself off as soon as the word left her mouth, realising that the momentous hatred she had before was not going to return anytime soon. "—shut up. You don't know anything."

"You're right." Sakura's voice was groggy. "I don't." Ino listened as the other dropped to the bed, hopefully asleep. "Care to tell?"

"Don't act all chummy with me!" the blonde seethed over her shoulder, eyebrows thin as her chest heaved. "You—You're meant to hate me! Shout at me! Curse at me! You're not meant to be sympathetic!" Her voice dropped an octave as she collapsed against the bars, her fingers weakly grasping the solid metal. "You're meant to hate me."

Sakura's response caught her off guard. "I'm trying."

"Then try harder," she hissed in return. "It should come to you with ease considering all the things I've said about your _precious _Captain." Her voice dripped with venom.

"You too." The words were slurred.

Ino was tired, physically and emotionally. She wanted nothing else than to drop right now, asleep, but her brain was working overtime, keeping her awake. What's more, her body was tingling with Sakura's presence, keeping her on guard for whatever pathetic reason. It just made Ino realise that—that... well, she didn't know what, but there was something.

She missed her time in Konoha, the times she had with her old friends—even Sakura. Those memories glowed in her heart, making her yearn for them, but yet her hands were like ice, so that every time she tried to grasp them, they'd die. She tried to see if Captain Aizen was in her globe of memories, and yes, he was there, but every one of them was tarnished by the words Sakura screamed at her, that also continued to echo in her own mind.

That he was faking it.

Kami. It seemed all too real.

"S-Sakura—"

"I'm not sorry."

Ino gasped, peering tearfully over her shoulder at her weak friend collapsed onto the cot. Green eyes—dull, like browning grass—stared back at her through unwashed pink tresses. The weight of her gaze was heavy, as though she was trying to push Ino into the floor.

"I've spent so many hours pondering you and... Aizen...," Sakura admitted, her eyes, thankfully, leaving Ino. "It's like it's become an obsession, worrying over you, hating you for not believing me. Believing someone you just met over someone you've known for years." Her sentence broke, a telltale sign that she was keeping a sob in check. "It hurt. It hurt even the first time. I—I was willing to take the stupid blame the first time, because it was my fault that I broke our friendship for my own reasons, but now... everything I seem to do to be honest with you is pitting you against me. I don't know what to do. I've risked—everything to—to—" she sniffled, a whimper seeping through her lips as she brought an arm to her eyes to hide herself.

Ino felt her insides tighten as she listened to her wailing sob that seemed to be so full of what she was feeling that Ino couldn't help but cry herself. It was like Sakura screaming at her broke her out her reverie—her infatuation with Captain Aizen, bringing her out of her fantasy. And now that she was in the light, saw reality, it hurt.

She still didn't know if what Sakura said about Captain Aizen was right or not, but it still opened her eyes. She was a ninja for Kami's sake! A kunoichi.

"Sakura, I'm—" she stopped short after hearing a soft moan. Her breathing grew shallow as Ino crawled towards the motionless pinkette, her knee and hand falls silent. She cracked a smile, her skin tingling with the lifting of her cheeks as she let out a soft laugh.

Sakura was asleep.

Giggling to herself for a little while longer, Ino—feeling slight elated—rearranged Sakura's limbs comfortably before shuffling back to her own bed. There, she pondered, her fingers playing with each other uncertainly.

She wasn't sure what Sakura and herself were. She didn't doubt, though, that things would be awkward later on in the day—considering it was early in the morning—but she also didn't hope for things to go terribly wrong either.

All at once she didn't want to take the blame but yet she felt she should, if there was a blame to be placed. The things Sakura had said to her were, yes, cruel, but the things she said back were equally biting—if not moreso.

Ino recalled, grimly, the fight before the evaluation. The sting of Sakura's slap across her cheek suddenly resurfaced at the remembrance. Comparing Sasuke to Captain Kuchiki was uncalled for, but in the heat of the moment, she just lost things. She knew it was just like her to pick on her opponent's weaknesses and exploit them without taking note of the consequences. Her tongue was sharp, but Sakura's loyalty was large.

Her eyes hurt, her skin tingling as an after effect of shedding so many tears. Her brain pounded against her cranium, a sure sign of a headache. And as Ino felt herself drift into a light slumber, her heart ached for what she both lost and regained that night.

* * *

_I'm unhappy how I wrote the report in Konoha bit. I had imagined it differently but it was so tedious to write that I ended up glossing over it. Yes, you have permission to shoot me. Still, I hope some of what happened in the rest of the chapter was enjoyable. :D _

_Thank you for the reviews. Seriously. I didn't expect so many on one chapter. *huggles* _

_. I have a __**new poll**__ up. It's pretty much the same as the old one but there are more summaries to choose from. I'm sorry but... could you all vote again? *pleading puppy eyes*_


	14. Sealing

_Warnings? Nope._

_Thank you so much for your feedback and loving and comforting reviews! Sorry that I hadn't responded to some of you. Blame my lazyness. I think you all know what I mean. :D _

_It is short, yes, sorry, but I hated making such long chapters, so I figured that shorter chapters would be better, though there would be more as well—also __**more updates**__, most likely (YAY!); also 'cause I've finished school now (CELEBRATION TIME!). I'm also quite annoyed with chapter twelve in that case, as it is so friggin' long! I just wanna cut it all up and nyah! *pouts*_

_Another thing that annoys me is that I had planned to get to the next sort of Arc at least two chapters ago, but that's going to be annoyingly prolonged until I get the character development chapters out—sorry! Ideas keep spawning which will improve relationships (or disprove) which you may find interesting. _

_Still, you are free to kill me, I suppose, but that would mean no updating! Mwahahaha! _

_**Ducks, Drakes and Ducklings**__ is officially posted. And it was a birthday gift for a friend but I guess this would be too. I also have a HitsuSaku oneshot up, called __**The Rogue**__. _

_ Enjoy!

* * *

_

—**CHAPTER FOURTEEN—**  
_Sealing

* * *

_

NIGHT.

Sakura woke with a start, green eyes wide as they darted around the small cell. It didn't take long before she was adjusted to the darkness. She pressed a hand against her cheek and exhaled softly, feeling the sweat collect under her finger pads as she dragged her hand down and dropped it into her lap. She keeled over, but instantly winced as pain spasmed up her side. She gasped and tilted her head back, her hair free falling down her back as she closed her eyes and breathed in the silence.

Not far from her was Ino, who was sleeping like a log and occasionally omitting chirps as she exhaled. Swallowing, Sakura dropped her gaze to the female and stared at her. Hesitantly she grabbed her blanket and pulled it off of her body (Ino must have put that over here after she fell asleep), ignoring the twinging pain in her body as she crawled silently across the floor.

She hovered, then, bending over Ino's motionless body. A frown marred Sakura's face as she tucked pink strands behind her ear.

Ino Yamanaka.

Sakura honestly didn't get it anymore. It seemed as though things may be going in the right direction between herself and Ino, and for that exact reason, she wasn't sure she could trust it. For all she knew, the blonde could be doing something that Aizen asked her to do; to gain her trust and then break her completely afterwards.

But Ino looked sincere early that day or night. Before she had conked out, Ino looked convinced but Sakura's dreams were tormenting her. They told her that the girl was lying, that Aizen was pulling the strings even still, and Sakura had vowed to herself and her Captain that she would stay strong and not fall for anything. Or was she falling for some trap by thinking that in the first place?

Sakura shook her head, leaning back, her green eyes tracing over Ino's closed eyes and small nose. This girl was her friend, and she had spent the last two and a half years trying to get her back, but now... she wasn't sure. It was just all too confusing.

There was one thing, though, that Sakura had realised as she dreamt. In her chest, there was a budding seed of jealousy. She was envious of the relationship Ino had with Aizen, and at that thought Sakura was more than ready to swallow her own tongue. Why was she jealous? Even if it was a lie, which she was so adamant to believe, Ino had still been happy with the fact that he had feelings for her. She was practically glowing before Sakura spilled the beans.

Why couldn't she get that sort of thing? Why couldn't Captain Kuchiki... she didn't want to be considered his daughter! It was stupid! She went above and beyond to protect him and—there had to be some other reason. Was she too young? True, back in Konoha, the thought of wedding a man who was more than ten years older than her made her cringe, but at the same time she knew that it was a part of the culture.

Women were bartered off, regardless the age of the winner, and some women would even wed men if they were rich. Even if she was in Soul Society, she had noticed that their culture hadn't differed too much from that of Konoha's, so she wasn't worried about age.

Maybe he did though, and with that thought Sakura looked down at herself. She was sixteen and had definitely developed over the years. She knew she had, but perhaps she was still too young for his tastes.

Or... maybe there was someone else.

_Slam!_

Pain engulfed her fist. Her knuckles were flat against the wall beside Ino's head but the blonde hadn't stirred. Sakura ground her teeth together as she pulled back her arm, trying to ignore the pain.

Anger and jealousy burning in the back of her throat, Sakura returned to her bed, glaring at the blonde once more before closing her eyes.

* * *

It was morning.

Two male shini-nin teenagers stared at each other without saying a word, sitting cross-legged on a grassy bank beside a running stream not too far from the Rukongai district. A lot of the souls on the streets did glance at them curiously as they walked by moments before, their eyes wide as they tried to figure out who was more interesting to look at; the blind man walking by himself? Or the large, bulky man beaming good-naturedly? Some souls, altogether, fled.

The rushing water was soothing to their ears as Kiba prepared himself for his explanation. He hadn't told a soul about what he had gone through, not even Matsumoto, who was the one responsible for breaking him out of his depression back then and helping him with a life-changing decision. There were only four other people who knew about this secret; change that to five in the next few hours.

"Okay," he sighed. "What do you want to know?"

"Where would be best for you to start?" was Neji's prompt reply.

Kiba groaned, scratching his head in thought. "I became an experiment for Captain Kurotsuchi."

"What?" Neji hissed, straining his ears to catch every single, minuscule detail. It actually hurt, slightly, as he was still new with his senses.

The other swallowed uncomfortably. "Back then, the Head-Captain Yamamoto was the one who had selected me to be a part of this program, as well as Captain Kurotsuchi." Neji listened as Kiba pulled his sheathed Zanpaku-to from his back and situated it on the grass beside him. "They, or he, had seen the connection between the canines of our clan and us ninja, and somehow, both of them came to an agreement to experiment."

"What was the experiment?"

"Neji?"

"Hm?" he tilted his head towards him in affirmation of his attention.

Kiba sighed and slid his Zanpaku-to towards Neji sort of tenderly, his eyes staring at the handle of his blade in trepidation shortly after when he raised his gaze towards the noble seated before him. The Hyuuga had his head cocked towards the weapon, his lips thin to display his curiosity.

"Neji. Meet Akamaru; my Zanpaku-to spirit."

Behind the thick material, Neji's lavender eyes widened. "What?" he whispered.

Kiba let his fingers trail over the red weavings of the handle, his eyes resting on his lap uncertainly. "They wanted to experiment if an animal and a human were great companions, they'd be able to combine as a shinigami and a spirit." He exhaled shakily, his chest shuddering as memories creeped back into the foreground. "My depression was because... for it to work... Akamaru had to be killed, and it was my decision whether that would happen." He exhaled, loud and clear to Neji's ears. "The chance of success was... minimal, depending on the friendship between the two subjects."

His throat burned the longer he kept back unshed tears, and he warily met Neji's gaze—or at least direction. No matter how long it had been since then, the memories of his emotions and thoughts still scarred him. The other was staring at him stoically, his lips sealed together tightly and his fists clenched on both knees, his knuckles growing steadily white. Kiba wondered briefly why the Hyuuga would feel anger, and who it was directed towards.

"As you can see..." he swallowed; it was getting only slightly easier. "It worked." He patted the blade fondly, the weapon seemingly shuddering under his touch; he gave a weak smile. "There is another experiment that I am included in," he added.

"Is there?" Neji asked, but in a tone suggesting that he was reigning in some surmounting emotion. "And what is this one?"

Kiba wiped his hand across his face, thumbing his eyes to rid of the escaped teardrops. "If you train long enough, you find your spirit. They want to know if it is possible for me to meet my original spirit, if Akamaru was not bound to me by other means."

Neji couldn't deny the interest in this idea. He had leaned forward when his friend spoke, but moved back to his upright position seconds afterwards.

It was silent for a few moments, wherein which Kiba shuffled slightly out of nervousness. The trickling stream and the soft rustle of the trees as the wind brushed by was relaxing, but somehow it seemed to amplify an impending reaction—whatever the reaction.

"That explains a lot of things," Neji responded finally; Kiba looked visibly relieved. "What would have happened if you said no? What would have happened if the fusion did not work?" The way he spoke made it seem like he was berating a foolish decision made by a child, but Kiba could still hear the genuine concern and curiosity behind his words.

"If I said no, I'd be returned back to Konoha," Kiba explained, poking his fingertips together, much like Shikamaru's 'thinking position'. "If the bonding did not work, then..." he paused, trying to remember. At the time of the explanation, his mind was whirring with the thought of Akamaru having to be dead for the experiment to take place, so he wasn't really concentrating on what the Captain was saying. "...I _think_ he said... that Akamaru would have dissolved and become pure spiritual matter in the atmosphere..." he shook his head. "That sounds like something I made up."

Neji gave him the barest of smiles. "No. The language is beyond your knowledge."

Kiba growled. "I'm not afraid to hit a blind man!"

Despite the twinge at his heart strings at those words, Neji kept his front. "That partly explains why you were placed in First Division. It was to keep the experiment secure," he suddenly asked, making Kiba halt instantly in his growling.

"Yes. Also, Head-Captain Yamamoto's Lieutenant has been the one that has been training me, with Captain Kurotsuchi and his Lieutenant taking down results from the exercise.

Neji cocked his head to the side as if evaluating this information. It was sort of overkill, but he partly wondered if that was partly because of jealously the first time he heard the Inuzuka being sorted into that Division. He had wondered how someone like him was able to score so high, but now, after the years, it seemed that the lower the number—one, two—didn't gauge what was learned. "Who helped you through your depression?" he queried.

Kiba's canine's were withdrawn as his lips closed around his teeth like normal. "I thought you were a genius, Neji," he remarked.

The Hyuuga cocked his head to the side in thought, pondering on that statement. It wasn't long before realisation hit him, and he 'ahh'ed', lips curling slightly into another pleasant smile. "Lieutenant Matsumoto."

Kiba grinned, nodding wildly. "'Lieutenant' to you, 'Babe' to me."

Neji almost did a double take. "What?" The dog-lover cackled, sprawling over the grass as he laughed heartily and punched the earth. "You can_not_ be serious, Inuzuka!"

Sensing the impending rage of the Hyuuga, Kiba put his hands up in defence and tried to coo the steaming blind man. "Geez, calm down. She's just hot! And she was helpful! It's not like we're in a relationship or anything." He chuckled good-naturedly. "I mean, think of the age difference."

The long-haired brunette slipped his hands into the opposing sleeves casually, stretching his back and swallowing his previous irritation and surprise with his friend. "Funny. That would be the sort of thing I'd expect to hear from Sakura and Ino."

"Ne?" Kiba blinked, pointing only vaguely in the direction of Soul Society. "You think...?"

"You're an idiot."

* * *

Sakura watched Ino as she split her long, blonde hair into three and started weaving them. Her brow was slightly furrowed and her nose was slightly scrunched as her nimble fingers sorted the strands. She was obviously bored; they both were. The atmosphere was tense.

Until it was broken.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Tenten cried as she and Hinata burst into the cell room, a brown paper bag in her hand. Hinata bowed to them at the door before following after the brunette and seating herself in front of the tall bars.

Ino nimbly crawled over to them, a smile on her face, relief swimming in her eyes as she perched herself. Sakura slowly stood from her futon and gingerly walked over to them, sitting down even slower than before. She winced every now and then, hissing to herself, but her stomach growled.

Tenten widened her eyes. "Geez, Sakura. Have you been bathing in antiseptic or something?" The pink-haired shinigami scowled as she slipped a thin hand from the large black sleeves to let her shoulder get some fresh air. Hinata's lavender eyes glossed over her skin in worry.

"You could say that," Sakura groaned but then fell silent. Just thinking of what happened that led to her wounds hurt her. Her stomach hurt again but for a different reason to hunger. It was an overwhelming ache that stirred her blood, and it was directed towards _him_.

It was obvious what the feeling was. She had felt the same thing for Naruto before graduation. It was hate; and it just reminded her of her internal musing several hours before.

"Captain Unohana had come in early this morning to dress her wounds," Ino explained. "By the way, how long are you cooped up in here?"

Sakura's eyes flickered towards the blonde, and the dark feeling returned again. For a split second there was fear. Was the hate towards Ino this time? Or was it directed to Captain Kuchiki who she instantly thought of when she was asked that question? Or both?

"Three days. Three nights," Sakura responded shortly, trying to hide her internal struggle. She motioned for the paper bags. Tenten nodded, surfing through it and pulling out a bento.

"Hinata made these during her free time," she explained with a smile. The Hyuuga turned pink. "You, Ino?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Soon enough they started eating.

"What about you, Ino?" Hinata asked softly, poking at her some steaming meat. "What was your punishment for what happened?" Sakura listened in earnest.

"Oh! Acting Lieutenant's Kotetsu and Kotsubaki had visited me before Sakura was submitted. They said—" she stopped sharply, dropping her gaze to her filled bento and chopsticks. Kaein. It seemed like ages ago when Rukia told her the news. "I'll be here for a week," she continued forlornly. "And my make-up will be burned."

Someone snorted, withholding their laughter. To someone like Ino, who was still quite girly, it was a huge deal, there lied the amusement. There was a giggle, and Ino glared at her friends, noting that they were hiding their smiles behind their hands.

"It's horrible!" she cried.

Unfortunately, that was the catalyst for the other females to burst out laughing—Sakura was wincing, yelping 'ouch!' through her laughter, but she couldn't stop even though her heart was telling her to.

"It is," Ino mumbled, crossing her arms and pouting.

"Of course it is," Tenten goaded. "Everybody gets up two hours early to do their make-up, only to get dirty during training." Hinata released a very short snort.

Ino gaped. "You mean I'm not the only one?"

Sakura cackled, falling onto her back and slamming her hand against the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks—whether it was out of pain or mirth, none of them knew. Hinata had her hands clapped over her face, her skin glowing red, while Tenten hid her eyes in arm. Ino smiled softly.

Maybe she hadn't lost her friends like she thought she did. They were with her. Laughing with her; well, at her, but still there. And she was on semi-good terms with Sakura now too, which was good. She didn't know how long that would last, if it ever would, but it was... nice... to have her back. Not that she would admit it but she was sort of beginning to miss her.

For once, she was back home.

* * *

It was night. He hardly noticed the cold biting at his exposed skin as he stared up at the sky. It was like black velvet, glued to a white background with holes poked through it to represent the stars. There were wisps of clouds, dark and grey, but they were thin. There was a half moon directly above him.

Neji sighed. At least that's what he was picturing. Leaning back on his haunches, skin caressing the rough tiles of the roof, he stared into the black abyss he saw. The mark on his forehead tingled, and he lightly touched it, wondering what exactly happened that suddenly caused this sensation. Maybe he was just imagining it. The Main Branch wouldn't be able to activate it all the way in Konoha anyway.

Konoha.

He was curious about what was happening back there. At no time during the years had the shinigami informed the shini-nin what was happening back home, when he knew that Konoha was receiving news on them. Where was the equivalent exchange in that?

This wasn't the only thing troubling him.

"_Neji. Meet Akamaru; my Zanpaku-to spirit."_

Kiba's words continued to echo in his mind at random moments, driving him nuts. Neji couldn't believe that the Inuzuka had gone through so much in the two years and was forced to keep it secret thanks to experimental decrees motioned by Captain Kurotsuchi. Well, it didn't work. Pent up with the secret and frustration of what was happening to him, Neji wasn't surprised that Kiba had spilled, and he, himself, just presented the opportunity to do just that. The canine-lover wanted someone to just realise it.

"Reminiscing?" a young voice purged his thoughts. Neji cursed to himself. Again his thoughts had dulled his enhanced hearing to the point it was useless. It'd have to stop eventually, and Neji guessed that as soon as he resumed his training he'd be pondering less on trivial matters.

Neji sat up. "Sort of," he moaned.

Hitsugaya took a seat beside him. The tiles under his weight shifted slightly against each other, a sound that the Hyuuga heard now that he was focused. His Captain had not spoken to him yet about what was going to happen with him now that he was blind, but Neji assumed that that was why the short, white-haired boy was next to him, gazing at the moon silently.

It was several moments before he spoke. "Oddly... I'm looking forward to it."

"What are you talking about Captain?"

"It'll be a challenge," he said instead. Neji could guess. "My student. Blind." The tanned boy turned to the Hyuuga, and would have met his eyes if not for the white bandages. "You're not thinking of dropping your life as a shinigami, are you?"

Neji softly scoffed. "Do you take me for a fool?"

"No. I do not. Which is why I'm telling you this: forest; thirty miles; tomorrow; 10am." Neji heard his Captain stand. "And don't even try that 'I got lost' excuse. It's not going to work, and I'll just be working you harder."

The Hyuuga chuckled, muttering a "Yes, Captain," under his breath before he heard the quick footfalls on the roof, zeroing in on his location. He recognised the weight, the slight pant of exertion and he could feel the pressure she released on her approach.

Tenten skidded to a halt once she saw Captain Hitsugaya—the sound was close to being nails on a chalk board to Neji's ears—and she bowed her head. "Captain Hitsugaya! I—I didn't know you were—"

"It is fine, Tenten," the boy excused, crossing his arms and glancing faintly at the motionless brunette behind him. "I really was just leaving." And he disappeared in a blur.

"Good evening, Tenten," Neji greeted as her old teammate slunk down beside him.

"Hey." She stared up at the sky, tapping her knees rhythmically. "I visited Ino and Sakura today. Both of them will be in there for a few more days—Ino especially—and Sakura was all bandaged up, she looked like a mummy." She giggled at her own joke. "Hinata came too, and we all sat and had an early lunch. Sakura and Ino seem to be getting along really well from what I had seen, considering the disagreement between the two of them was what caused them to end up like that in the first place. I wasn't there though, just heard the rumours." She turned to Neji. "Why is Sakura all bandaged up? I heard no one was hurt but she was submitted to Fourth Divi—"

"Is something wrong, Tenten?" the Hyuuga asked calmly. She emitted a quick gasp of surprise."

"How did you—"

"I know you too well. Same old team, remember?" He smirked. "Besides, I can hear you. You're nervous."

She snapped her mouth closed and glared. "Remind me to lose my humanity when I talk to you. I'd like to keep some things secret, mister."

Neji chuckled. "You're found out. Spill."

Tenten sighed and relaxed onto her haunches. "I guess you already answered my question." She could tell that the male brunette was raising his eyebrows for her to explain, so she continued. "Our fight..." already she hesitated. "I caused your blindness. I feel as though I'm to blame for what happened to you. And I was so scared that you'd be angry with me—that you'd hate me. It took me two weeks before I scrambled up the courage to just ask you. Are you—"

"You really are a girl," Neji cut in.

"What?"

"You're over thinking things, just like every other girl does. You let yourself exaggerate potential outcomes for some matter when really you should just stop thinking and nip the problem on the bud."

Tenten scowled. "I'm different from all those other girls!" she defended.

"Yes, you are."

"I—huh?"

Neji smiled, head tilted towards the sky as he imagined the glistening stars. "It is not your fault that this happened to me, Tenten. I didn't even blame you from the get go. I didn't even think of it. This was... meant to happen to me." He faulted slightly, remembering how he was during the Chuunin Exam's about every person having their future set in stone from their birth. "It is Karma. I deserve to be maimed if I hurried my training, and that is something that Gai-sensei did not teach us.

"He taught us... continuous practise. 'Practise makes perfect'. No wonder he did so many laps around Konoha, Lee with him." For the first time that night, he faced Tenten. "And you're different, Tenten, because you are the first girl who..." she could see that he was having difficulty trying to get his next words out but it didn't matter, she could already feel the blush rising up her neck. "...first girl who kicked my ass."

It came out fast, and was said in a way that just signified the start of his change.

Neji didn't know what to expect. Tenten, though, burst out laughing. She didn't know if it was because she was embarrassed for her or for him or because of his choice of words. His smile was somewhat crooked, which only added more fuel to her giggles.

"Thank you."

"Huh?" Tenten stopped, meeting his bandaged eyes in confusion. "What did you say?" Absentmindedly she wiped tears from her eyes, softly giggling to herself under her breath.

Neji shook his head, dismissing it. "Nothing."


	15. Unearthing

_Check out __**Ducks, Drakes and Ducklings**__. I'm graduating from HS today, so I thought why not post another chapter just before? :D And all my readers/reviewers seem to have disappeared... *pout*... oh well. It's up to them. I'm having more fun writing this with just shorter chapters but reviews do make me a little more motivated. XD_

_Thanks to those who reviewed, favourited and alerted my story so far. I probably would not have gotten this far without you. :D I'm glad you liked the NejiTen moment in the last chapter; it came out fluffier than I had intended._

_Another note: I add sneak peaks of the next chapter in my profile in the ROT section._

_I had trouble writing the interactions in this chapter, particularly the later ones. Would love feedback on how I could have improved that. Thanks.  
_

_Enjoy!

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—**CHAPTER FIFTEEN—**  
_Unearthing

* * *

_

TWO

It had been two days.

Freedom was just around the corner, the taste of it on the tip of her tongue. She was looking forward to it, looking forward to getting rid of the last of the bandages as well. Her time wasn't all that bad though. She and Ino had made up to a point but it seemed impossible to pass it. She just couldn't withhold the anger that was directed towards Ino—or maybe, she thought, it was towards Aizen who she saw whenever she looked at the blonde.

In those two days, as well, Captain Kuchiki hadn't visited her either. The other day, Sakura resigned herself to leaning against the back wall while a sick and frail Ukitake came to visit Ino—the sick jealousy had returned full blast—so she was left to wondering what her own superior was doing that prevented him from seeing her as well. She thought that maybe some of what she had said—well, screamed—to him may have gotten through his thick barrier but it didn't seem so; either that and he knew but refused to.

Still, Sakura pondered if she actually wanted to see him again. The scars of their rage-filled fight still littered her body as clean-cut scratches that were slowing dissolving away. She had lost to him, and still his daunting words, as she lay covered in sweat, blood and grime on the earth, panting for breath, lingered in her mind.

"_Is this the best you can do, Haruno, when all your emotions are unleashed? Is this all they're worth?" _

He said it with blood sloshed across his cheeks and his robes tattered to a point where he'd have to buy a new one. She had been ruthless, so she thought, but he was too. She wanted to know if he was fighting with anger as well, or if he was just deadest on proving her wrong and putting the cork back in her bottle of unleashed emotions.

A wry smile reached her lips as she stared at the midafternoon soon blaring through the single window. Yes. Her Captain was angry. She had felt it in her muscles as he pushed against her harder til she relinquished her hold on her emotions. She had felt it when his eyes were boring over her body with every twist and turn she made to dodge. She was swimming in it when she slashed across his haori and he repelled back with tenfold.

Yes. He was angry. And it was oddly satisfying.

She didn't know what it was but fighting with him was just exhilarating, especially if he loosened the reigns of his emotions a little. He was every bit a drug to her. She was addicted, but to what exactly, she didn't know but she could guess. His exotic looks; the strong comparison to the Uchiha clan in looks, skills and personality—and for some reason, she liked men who were like that; it was like they were honey and she the bee—his enigmatic attitude towards her as her teacher; the way he walked and talked and maybe there was that undeniable attraction towards males who she knew she couldn't have. First was Sasuke, and even though she tried to mean something more to him, even when her feelings were genuine as she begged him not to leave, in her heart and mind, she knew they weren't possible.

So why did she hang onto... Byakuya so much? Kami, even his name was like a drug to her lips. It was maddening, especially because she knew that there was hate mixed in there with her bucket of emotions.

She loved and hated him. But did she even like him?

She punched the wall, splinters spraying around her fist. Ino jumped, emitting a sharp yelp as she whirled around to find out what was going on.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" the Yamanaka panicked.

Sakura curled up into the foetal position against the wall, wrapping her arms around her legs and burying her head into the nook of her knees. She realised something. This wasn't the first time she had felt like this towards someone; wanting to have more than what they could give. It wasn't the first time that she sat by herself and let her emotions and thoughts plague her mind. It wasn't the first time.

The first time was Sasuke.

"Yo, Sakura and friend!"

Ino yelped again and Sakura lifted her head from her hollow to set her eyes on Renji and—Sai? Despite her frustration, she raised an eyebrow at the odd pair. When had they become friends... or acquaintances? Scratch that, when had they met at all? The two had completely different personalities, and both of the extreme sides. Renji was hot-headed, loud and boisterous. Sai's cool and calm attitude, as well as his inexperience with relationships, would no doubt torment the red-head to no end. So how had they met?

Renji laughed. "Met on the way in," he explained, seeing her expression of utter confusion. Sai nodded beside him, a polite smile on his face. Sakura was unsure what to think with them here. The last time she had seen or heard of them was when they had stopped her from doing one of the biggest mistakes of her life—if the fight ever actually happened. Back then, she was angry at them for getting in her way, but now...

Now Sakura couldn't help the warmth that bloomed in her chest at the sight of her two friends—she used that word loosely.

"Hi," she said hoarsely.

"Hey, don't push yourself," Renji grinned. He reached a hand through the bars towards Ino. "Hey, I'm Renji. Friend of Sakura's."

Ino's blue eyes were wide as she took him in and then gingerly shook his hand. His skin was coarse, and she could feel numerous healed blisters that had become slight lumps on his palm. "Ino Yamanaka."

"Nice to meet you."

"Sai." The black-head smiled and extended a hand as well. Behind Ino, Sakura twitched.

"She knows that, idiot!"

"I'm sorry," the mystery-man chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "When Renji did it, it seemed to work, so I thought I'd give it a try."

"Why do you say that like it wouldn't?" Renji asked but got no answer.

Sakura seethed while Ino gaped at her. "You made friends with the loner of the shini-nin?"

"N—"

"Yes, she has," Sai interrupted, still smiling. "So nice of her to take an interest in me."

The pinkette's face looked something akin to a stoned goldfish as her mouth opened and closed. Scowling from her seat, she pointed an accusing finger and screamed, "don't mess your words around! I was interested in why you were drawing Lieutenant Hinamori!"

Renji's eyebrow twitched and he bent slightly over Sai—who was shorter than him—with his hands on his hips. "You were drawing Momo?"

"Ahh." Sai pointed a finger at the red-head's face. "You're jealous, are you not?"

Renji looked flabbergasted as he took a step back at the accusation. "How dare you talk like that to your superiors? Why would I be jealous?"

"I'm sorry," Sai said again. "I can't seem to get the hang of it yet." He looked anything but sorry.

"Then keep your comments to yourself!"

He smiled. "Then how will I know the outcome?"

"I—" Renji deflated, seeing his point. Growling, his crossed his arms and glared at Sai. "Fine." Turning to the two ladies smiling behind the bars, he said, "Sakura, let's go. You're out today."

Sakura swore she could have screamed 'hallelujah' but chose not to once she caught sight of Ino's crestfallen expression. "Hey, _Ino_. Maybe when you get out and I'm fully healed you can give me a proper taste of that poison."

The blonde smirked. "Hell yeah. Shake on it?"

Sakura giggled, reaching over to seal the deal, but at the last moment, Ino pulled back and held up a finger.

"No slapping me, okay? That was _way _uncool."

The two giggled (Sakura was glad that it was sincere) as though it was their own little joke. Renji and Sai stood perplexed on the outside, the former with keys in his hand, poised to unlock the cell. Sai half-turned to the red-head. "Are we sure she's mentally well to leave?"

Renji snorted. "If she's not, let her Captain deal with it."

"I heard that." They froze. "Now unlock this door before Ino's girlishness rubs off on me." The blonde snorted in protest as Renji opened the cell. Sakura stretched when she got out, feeling as though chains had been released from her wrists and ankles, even though she hadn't been cuffed. "Thanks. See ya later, Ino."

"You better come to visit me, Bill-board Brow!"

"Not with that stupid nickname again, Ino-pig?"

"Ha!"

"What type of comeback is that?"

"I'm still thinking of one!"

"Guess that proves you're a blonde!"

"What did you say?"

"You heard me!"

"Ladies!"

"What?"

Renji raised his hands up defensively as two piercing glares were shot his way. He chuckled nervously, feeling the pressure they were releasing. "N-Nothing." Sakura huffed, sending a challenging glare to Ino before stalking out of the cell room ("Just wait til I get out, Bill-board Brow!").

Renji scratched the back of his neck. "That was stupid," he muttered to himself.

Sai nodded in agreement. "You have balls, though."

Renji twitched.

* * *

Sakura felt good. Her innocent banter with Ino really helped to put her back in a good mood, and the fact that two of her friends had somehow come across each other just made her feel better. Now that Sai knew Renji, the chances were he wouldn't hesitate to talk to him now, especially when the red-head would be in company.

It was interesting. Just for that moment she had felt lighter, like weight was lifted off her shoulders. Wondering why, she soon realised that her mind hadn't been dwelling on the source of her problems—sources, actually. For that brief moment her heart hadn't ached, her mind wasn't hurting, and she didn't feel that burning ache in the back of her throat. It was... relaxing.

Was it a sign? Whether it was or not, it made her feel happier (and Kami knew she hadn't felt that pure emotion for a long while) and she sought to keep this happiness, but how?

It was obvious. Take her mind completely off of thoughts of romance (anything, at all, related) featuring her and her Captain and focus... on someone else who could help her. Renji, Sai and Neji sprung to mind first. Neji had his own problems however, and she and Renji still got along like two magnets being together but with the same magnetic energy—for the sake of the analogy, the energy was negative.

Sai, however, was interesting. He had this knack for bringing the old her out, the old way she used to act when she was back in Konoha with Team 7... She had never forgotten him—Naruto—despite the fact that so many things were on her mind. She always pondered the 'what ifs' which were always so fun to mull over, and wondered how Naruto and Kakashi and everybody else back home were doing.

Even Sasuke.

Great. It seemed her mind was still fixated on the tall, dark and brooding pair.

Her feelings for her old friend were strange. She missed him, that much was true, but she also found herself constantly comparing him to her Captain, where the only similarities were the lack of expressions, black hair and exceptional skill in battle. When Sakura tried to unearth her deeper feelings about the Uchiha, it got a little more difficult—it was difficult, more so, because she had been thinking about him not too long ago.

She hated him for betraying everyone, hated him for his insane lust for power and the fact that he was stupid enough to think he'd find it in the hands of a previous traitor of Konoha. She hated and was scared with what he'd become, what he was now, what he was doing right at that very moment that she was thinking of him. Was he regretting his decision? Was he still alive? What?

One question stood out the most. What would she do if she met Sasuke again?

She didn't know. She supposed it depended on how he reacted to her first, but Sakura couldn't deny that all the times he had hinted that she was a pest, did stem a hope to show him just what she had up her sleeve. And if Kami loved her at that moment, hopefully Sasuke would be surprised.

"Sakura."

Said female froze in mid-step, looking up to meet the onyx eyes of her Captain and familiar surroundings of the Sixth Division barracks. She had been so deep in thought she hadn't realised where she was going.

Her jaw went rigid. "Captain," she acknowledged.

The moment was awkward. Incredibly awkward. And for different reasons. The last they met he was wiping the floor with her. And the last time she truly thought of him was when she was trying to understand what she felt, only to get very scared when her thoughts spiralled out of control. She didn't understand what her heart and mind was saying for this man but still she had that lingering hatred for the way he was treating her—and the fact that whenever she was trying hard to stop thinking about him her thoughts would always swerve back to him.

She asked herself, though, if her hate was justified.

"You look well," he stated.

"I've been better... Captain," she added quickly. Honestly, Sakura was bitter. Again he had not seen her when she was locked up, when she thought he would; Sasuke would have—dragged along by the rest of the team, mind you.

There she went again, pondering over her past crush.

"Training will begin again tomorrow," the noble informed.

Sakura blinked. "Are you training me, Captain Kuchiki, or are you letting the Lieutenant take your place... again?" Her bitter feelings towards him made her question turn out more accusing than she would have liked; in fact, she didn't want that at all.

Byakuya stared. "I am." He chose to ignore her tone. "I will be working you harder."

"Harder than before?" she asked, curious. How could he work her harder than he already had been? She thought_ that_ was tough: almost eighteen hours of constant repetition of sword handling, Kidō harnessing and more, a day. She had never been so cruelly trained before, but it was clear his methods covered both components, the mental and physical side of things. The whole repeating thing and getting so tired of it was a factor of mental exercise: she would do it, she could do it, she has done it.

Yet her emotions continued to sky rocket. It was a side of her that she had kept since childhood, after coming out of her shell. Captain Kuchiki couldn't completely train her to control it and while he told her that he was disappointed, he didn't seem tired of saying it.

"Yes," he responded. "I have requested to Head-Captain Yamamoto that we may leave the confines of Soul Society for six months to train."

Her eyes popped. "What?"

"I will not repeat myself."

Six months with him, alone, only Kami knows where. Who knows what would happen? She knew that he was thinking purely of her training but he was completely oblivious to her tormenting thoughts and feelings for him that confused her even now—or was he?

Meikyou reminded her, though, that the six months in confinement may actually prove beneficial for her but Sakura had to once again remind her Spirit that she'd be spending that time with one of the sources of all her problems. The Mother Bear she was, Meikyou told her it'd be alright, that maybe Sakura would come to a revelation by the end of it.

She only hoped.

"When are we leaving?" Sakura asked tonelessly.

Byakuya half-turned away. "Tomorrow. You will be staying in the Kuchiki manor tonight." Sakura stared. "We will be leaving at the crack of dawn, and I do not want you to be late."

She stared. "Captain... when have I ever be late?" The noble merely glared at her as if it answered her question. "Fine. Where are we going?"

"Away."

"I know _that_..."

"It would not matter."

"Captain!" she protested but he was gone in the blink of an eyebrow. Sakura crossed her arms and pouted, frowning at where he had last been standing—he really had to teach her how he did that. It really wasn't a mission if he was just training her—or maybe there'd be some side tasks on the way—but regardless, maybe it wouldn't be too bad. "Great. I probably jinxed myself. Still, maybe I'll sort everything out. No!" she cried, grabbing her head. "I wanted to stop all this madness and he keeps making it worse!"

Breathing heavily and with that positive thought in her mind, Sakura slowly trudged back towards her apartment, ignoring the gnawing of something in her stomach at what was to come.

"Well, even I thought that was strange."

Chills raced up Sakura's spine. She recognised that voice. It belonged to someone who she was still somewhat afraid of, ever since that day they left Konoha. Preparing herself, Sakura gazed up at Captain Hitsugaya leaning against the grown tree in the middle of the garden, his green eyes in the direction that Sakura assumed Captain Kuchiki had left in. She puffed her cheeks, getting tired of all these people around her. Honestly, she was actually getting tired of all this male drama! Why couldn't she find one decent guy for Kami's sake?

"What do you mean?" she asked.

He met her eyes and it was like she was bathed in ice—honestly, how did Neji train with this kid? Somehow he was scarier than Captain Kuchiki, but she didn't know how.

"Six months in the middle of nowhere with a noble Captain after such a huge debacle not four days ago, to which you returned severely wounded? Not to mention all this drama and ridiculous emotions being thrown around," he stated as though it was obvious.

"How does any of that interest you?"

He crossed his arms. "Yamanaka," he said.

Sakura stared, disregarding the burn—again—and instead focused on why the small Captain would want anything to do with her... friend. After all, they (Hitsugaya and herself) hardly talked, hardly even saw each other.

"What about her?" she asked curiously.

"What do you know about her and Captain Aizen?"

Sakura glared. "Why are you asking me? Is their relationship even any of your business?"

"I didn't care before, but now I am... concerned."

She paused. "Oh?"

He scowled at her, approaching her with slow, even steps. Sakura instinctively took a step back, to which he narrowed his eyes at.

"Look, just leave me alone. If you want to know about Ino and Aizen—"

"Captain," he interrupted, crossing his arms. "Captain Aizen."

Sakura's nostrils flared and her green eyes were lit with rage. "I refuse to call that—" she saw his eyes thin in warning and she stopped herself.

"Whether you like it or not, Haruno, Captain Aizen deserved his title, so do well to call him by it," Hitsugaya stated coldly. He was serious. She found herself faced with the ever common conflicted emotions. She hated that man and refused to acknowledge him as a Captain. She was stubborn in that way.

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes. She noticed that the short Captain's body stiffened like a board—pent up irritation? "I'm tired of all this drama. If you want to know some stuff between my friend and him, go ask her. She'd know more."

"Hmm."

Just like her Captain, the white-haired shinigami disappeared like a blur, leaving her alone. Sakura glanced around before she smacked her forehead, cursing herself.

"I've really got to stop acting like that in front of Captain's."

* * *

Hinata exhaled slowly, drawing out the used breath as she scoped the area with her Byakugan. The vision swept over the trees of the forest just outside of the Seireitei, its sepia-coloured scenes lingering for hardly a second before she moved them elsewhere. In front. Behind. Left. Right—there!

"Right!" she screamed.

Hisagi's form blurred from the scouted position and she turned off her Byakugan to give him time to hide again. After a minutes wait she activated her bloodline again, experiencing a short bout of tingles along her optical nerves. The exercise was repeated; searching, finding, shouting.

"Behind!"

He appeared before her, his hands on his hips as he approached her; he was panting. Hinata closed her eyes and deactivated her specialty before turning to him, a smile on her lips as she skipped over to him. Her hair navy hair, bound into a single, low bundle, bounced against her back.

Hisagi dropped his hand on her head and ruffled her locks affectionately. "Ten out of ten. Good work."

"Do you... do you think Captain Tousen would be happy?"

He chuckled. "As happy as he'd let himself be." Seeing her scrunched up face, Hisagi nudged her roughly, making her stumble a few steps to the side with doe-like eyes. "You need to work on your balance."

Hinata puffed out her cheeks. "I wasn't prepared," she insisted softly. All of a sudden she clapped her hands over her ears. "Captain Tousen won't be happy."

"Practice makes perfect," the Lieutenant reminded.

"I've always wondered that but I don't know if it's true."

"Hey. You're not fainting on me. It's true enough."

She turned red and bowed her head, shifting away from her mentor as the two walked back towards the Seireitei gates.

"Don't do that," Hisagi said, frowning slightly.

"I can't help it," she muttered in return. Almost out of habit, now, she grabbed her long ponytail and brought it over her shoulder, letting her fingers weave through the fine locks. "It's me."

"And to that I don't know what to say." He groaned, raking a hand through his hair as he tilted his eyes to the sky. He was contemplating, wondering how to snap the shyness out of the girl a little more but she seemed insistent in staying like that. He would have thought that training as a ninja and as the heiress to her clan, she would have been a little more... skilled in her behaviour and in the posture she held as she walked and fought.

When she had first been found in Soul Society, and upon discovering that she was a former ninja and was assigned to his squad, he took one look at her and wondered how the hell that girl was going to survive in the world she was in. He didn't doubt that the ninja world was just as perilous, but he had seen evidence to believe that they clearly didn't train her well enough.

Captain Tousen saw to that. So many times Hisagi had seen the fragile Hyuuga bawling her eyes out when she thought she was alone, and many times he was both annoyed but worried. She was interesting. She had survived for so long with such a burden, it was a miracle she didn't break with the Captain's tough training.

He had to have seen some quality in her to train her and not give up, but Hisagi supposed that the training would only last as long as the trainee's determination, and hers was unwavering. He had seen that in her eyes so many times, and he wondered where she had gotten it from.

That was something that drew him to her. And as he looked down at her to study her face—her slightly chubby cheeks, her flattish nose and thin lips—she wasn't exactly bad to look at either.

Not bad...

It took them both several seconds before they realised the scenario. His lips were pressed softly against hers, and they were staring at each other in surprise. Hisagi's heart pounded as he saw red creep up her neck and cheeks, and when her lids slowly closed over her lavender eyes.

She fainted. His arms wrapped around her waist just in time, but now she was as limp as a rabbit, her head lolling and her hair just touching the short grass. Her lips were slightly parted as she breathed quietly through them, and her skin was still tinged red.

He groaned to himself and dropped his head, his fringe grazing across her upper abdomen. He chuckled to himself, a grin written on his face as he looked up and gazed at her serene face.

"A little too fast?"

* * *

The sound of the prison door opening snapped Ino out of her daydream. She lifted her head and peered curiously through the bars to see who had come to visit her now. For a moment she thought it was one of her favourite Captain's but quickly realised that her visitor was at least two and a half heads shorter than them.

She laced her fingers and nestled her hands on her stomach, dropping her head back onto her pillow and closing her eyes.

"Yamanaka."

Oh. That voice was one she hadn't heard in a long while but yet she couldn't help but feel curious about why someone like him—or exactly him—was visiting her when they didn't even know each other. He used her last name. That should say how often they interacted. And she did catch the steely edge to it.

"Yes?" she said politely.

She didn't meet his eyes though.

"Do you know a girl by the name Momo? Or, more specifically for you, Lieutenant Hinamori?"

Ino frowned. Yes... the name was familiar. Very familiar in fact. She hadn't had the pleasure of meeting the woman yet but she knew exactly who she was. She was the Lieutenant of Captain Aizen's squad, a position that she, herself, had wanted not too long ago. Many times Ino had wondered how he treated the female, and many times again, she wondered how the Lieutenant viewed her Captain.

Not too long ago, Ino would have reacted like the fickle, jealous girl she was at heart but now... things were just all too confusing and bunched up and just a complete and utter mess that she wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about the topic that was Momo Hinamori.

She was curious, now, and she propped herself up on her elbows and met Captain Hitsugaya's eyes of turquoise. "Yes," she said slowly, raising a blonde eyebrow.

"What can you tell me about her relationship with Captain Aizen?" he asked.

Ino found herself speechless. Was the boy—man?—jealous? No. He couldn't be... but... taking a closer look at him, Ino could see signs in his body language that did hint to jealousy, or at least protectiveness.

Clearly this woman meant something more to him, but what Ino wondered is why the Captain thought he'd find answers from her.

"What makes you think I have the answers?" she queried, scrunching up her face in confusion.

His level-headed gaze did not waver. "I see the same look in your eyes that I do in hers; the same sort of awe."

Oh. That. Oh!

It made sense then, at least a little. But to this, Ino had to close her eyes to actually think about it. She hadn't met her, so would not be able to create her own conclusions on how the Lieutenant's relationship with Captain Aizen differed or not from hers. She'd have to meet her, but the good Captain seemed insistent that they not meet.

Ino wasn't an idiot. Yes, she had made her mistakes with trusting Captain Aizen a little too much, and while she was still infatuated with the man, she had noticed now—just remembered, really—that whenever she asked about meeting his Lieutenant, _something_ always came up. The first few times, sure, she was willing to buy it, and she had, but now that she thought about it, he was clearly underestimating her.

He didn't want them to meet, and now she was curious why.

Why why why?

"Well?" Captain Hitsugaya patiently spoke.

"I don't know."

He turned to leave, irritation written on his face.

"But I'm willing to help find out," she proposed.

Hitsugaya half turned back to her, his eyes analysing her carefully. "What... do you have in mind?"

Ino couldn't help but smile. It had been such a long time that she had last been on a mission.

* * *

The inked brush glided across the empty parchment, the pale hand directing it firmly in its guidance. The black ink didn't bleed but stayed in a perfect line as he painted, his coal, black eyes looking down on it with bare concentration. Surrounding him were other painting tools, along with several scrolls both empty and full.

The brush tip flicked as he drew it away and he tilted his head at what he painted. Without looking, he dropped his tool into the ink pot by his knee and thought.

"Hey, that looks pretty cool," he heard behind him; he looked over his shoulder and was met with a crooked smile and joyless green eyes.

"Sakura," Sai greeted. He then smiled back at her, that same, fake smile. "Long time no see."

She giggled and placed her Zanpaku-to beside her as she sat down on the lush grass. It was a small garden somewhere in Seireitei, hidden from the direct paths but still easily findable if you looked long and hard enough. It was nice and peaceful, a typical Japanese garden, much like the ones she had briefly seen in the Hyuuga manor when she was five years old—also like the Sixth Division garden, but she didn't want to go back there. Anything that reminded her of her troubles just made everything worse for her.

"Do you always go here?" she asked him.

Sai started grinding some more hard ink, blending it with little water. She watched him work, staring at his pale but deft hands.

"I suppose," he replied.

Sakura cleared her throat awkwardly as she gazed over his equipment. The scrolls were from Konoha, ones that he probably brought with him when they left two and a half or so years ago. There were a few newer ones as well, bought from a store in Soul Society. But they weren't what caught her eye.

It was the small, pale blue book poking out from underneath an open scroll. It looked old and well-fondled. She tried to get a closer look but Sai pushed it further beneath, giving her a very calculating expression.

"Sorry," she muttered. "It's precious, right?"

"Yes. I suppose it is."

She bit her lip. "What is it?"

He didn't say anything for a few minutes that Sakura thought he decided not to answer her. However, he did, eventually. "It belonged to my brother."

"Oh..." she fiddled with the hem of her robes nervously. "What happe—you know what?"

Sai gazed up at her in mild surprise. He had, after all, expected her to pester him more about his brother, which he didn't really welcome, but apparently she caught his anxiety for the topic and switched it. For that, he was slightly grateful.

He gave her a fake smile, and she gave him one in return that bared her teeth. It didn't quite reach her eyes. "What?"

"Are you busy tonight?"

He blinked, his smile gone. "Tonight?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes. I..." she started rocking back and forth where she sat, looking up at the tree that overshadowed them. "I would like to spend some time with someone else and... get to know them." There was more left unsaid but he didn't really care.

He wasn't too fussed about what she thought or felt, more about what her actions and choices led too. Yet, his relationship with her was strange. Ever since he heard he had landed the mission into Soul Society, he had made sure to read up on human emotions and basic conversational lines so that hopefully the first thing he said to any of them wouldn't put him on the wrong side.

He supposed it worked. There were quite a lot of hiccups where he had aggravated Sakura—and several other shinigami—but on the whole, he hadn't actually made any friends. The pinkette was the closest out of all of the shini-nin.

But still, he was curious.

Why was she fidgeting? Why was she wriggling her toes? Why was she looking anywhere but him? And was... what's that on her cheeks?

"You've got something on your face," he stated.

She slapped a hand to her cheeks in surprise, trying to feel for anything, before she glared at him. "That's what you say?"

"I'm afraid I'm not sure what to say. Yes?"

Sakura scowled slightly. "Don't say it like a question. Look, do you want to go out to dinner with me tonight or not?"

"Ahh," Sai mused. "Of course."

She sighed but didn't completely relax.

"Why did such a question merit such anxiety?"

And then she froze. "N-No reason." He stared at her. She could feel it. Lidding her eyes, Sakura matched his gaze. "Look you, this, by no means, is a date! Okay?"

Sai raised an eyebrow, his lips slightly twitching into what could have been a genuine smile if he hadn't been so confused. She was defensive about whatever... she was defensive about. And unknowingly, he just poked more holes by saying, "a date?"


	16. Special

_Long time no see! I have no idea who is still reading this, or wanting to read this, but here's the next chapter. An extra review today motivated me that little more to get this out. The next chapter will be the six months, and it might be split in two – I'm not sure. _

_Speaking of reviews – OH MY! I reached 240! You guys... *sniffles*... thank you. :)_

_Anyway. If you enjoyed it, please review!_

* * *

—**CHAPTER SIXTEEN—**  
_Special_

* * *

"Dear, Tenten," Ikkaku Madarame, Third Seat of Division Eleven, said, dropping down beside the brunette who was seated casually on a grassy area nearby the Division. His feminine companion sat down on the other side of the shini-nin, brushing his short hair out of the way as he flashed a knowing smile at her.

Tenten frowned, confused. "Yeah?" she said slowly. "What's up?"

They both chuckled simultaneously. Ikkaku crossed his legs and leaned back on his hands. "So innocent."

"Huh?"

"Agreed," Yumichika concurred. "So naive."

"Who? Me?"

"Our little, Tenten," they chorused.

She growled, whacking them both over the head at the same time. "What are you two talking about?"

"Now, now, our brunette panda," Yumichika cooed, stroking the back of his head to straighten out any straggly hairs that Tenten may have dislodged. "Anger lines are hardly the thing you want this early in your life."

She scowled. "Says the one with the wrinkly brow!"

He looked positively frightened as he slapped a hand to his hand and felt around for any said lines. Tenten and Ikkaku laughed until he finally realised that she was just saying that. "How uncouth."

"Uh huh," Tenten nodded. "But you're not going to weasel your way outta this one." She looked at Ikkaku on her other side and glared. "Why are you treating me like an innocent and naive sister?"

Yumichika rolled his eyes, gasping in fake surprise. "Tenten, you are like our little sister."

She looked shiftily at them. "If I had known it'd take two years to gain two older, annoying brothers—err, sorry, brother and sister—I would have done so way earlier." She then sighed. "Oh wait, I had Neji and Lee—and Gai, but he was more like an overprotective, overenthusiastic dad."

She missed the look the two men gave each other over her back. At least until Ikkaku slapped her back hard so that she coughed on her spittle. This made the two laugh at her misfortune, until she had punched them both in the sides.

"What do you two want? I've had it up to here!" She gestured below her breasts angrily. "Ever since two days ago you had been teasing me, coddling me _like _a younger sister." She pouted with a huff. "Shouldn't I deserve to know?"

Yumichika chuckled/giggled; Tenten raised an eyebrow. "We know all about it."

"Well, I don't—obviously! Why are you doing this?"

"Yeah..." Ikakku grinned before leaning his face closer to hers. "We know all about the little crush you have on _Neji_," he sang.

Tenten blushed, though it was hidden because of her tan. Her eyes widened and she pressed her hands against her chest as she muttered out, "I don't know what you're talking about."

They laughed again, though this time she used the quick moment to hush her heartbeat.

"'Don't know what we're talking about', she says," Ikkaku teased. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a manly side-hug.

"I-I don't!"

"My, Tenten, you do look more beautiful when you blush," Yumichika complimented with a smile.

Now she blushed even harder because of the compliment, and because she knew she couldn't deny her attraction to her former teammate. That talk two nights ago had just boosted her liking for him at least tenfold because of what he said, how he said it and how he overall acted. She was nervous, yes, but she could hide her feelings for him, easier than expressing her concern for how he saw her.

When he, too, had complimented her, well... it was like a dream come true. So... did that mean he knew too? Was she really that obvious? How did they even find out in the first place? No. She wasn't going to ask. Asking would be just outright telling them that she did have a good, solid crush on the Hyuuga. And somehow his blindness made him all the more sexier; just think of the possibilities—no! Bad Tenten.

She mentally hit herself.

"Oh, Tenten, don't damage that pretty face of yours," Yumichika chastised. Honestly, sometimes he acted like an older brother/sister or an over concerned mother. How many times had he asked about going out for a 'girls night' at some place? Too many times. And how many times had he offered to do her hair, or her make-up? Countless—almost every single day. He just never gave up. He was more feminine than her! Maybe that's where all her girly attributes had gone!

She mumbled.

"So do you give in?" Ikkaku asked, resting his chin on her shoulder and poking her side. She squirmed, moaning in protest and arching her side away from him. "Admit it. You like the guy."

"I do not!" she shouted, pushing them both away from her and sending them to sprawling across the ground. "No way will you make me admit something like that! That's just silly! He's a good friend, nothing more! Where did you even get the stupid idea in your head? He's just... a friend..." she repeated.

"Well, he is quite nice to look at," Yumichika thought from his prone position on the grass. His feet were scissoring behind him as he stared up at the brunette. Ikkaku had resumed his previous seat.

Tenten nodded. "I agree."

The feminine man tilted his head almost lazily to the side, dragging a finger across the side of a long piece of grass. "And he has got a nice tush."

"Yes he does—no!"

The two men cackled, grabbing their stomachs as Tenten tried to alleviate what she had just said. When they didn't seem to let up at all, she grabbed her head in frustration and groaned loudly, gritting her teeth.

"Those bastards!"

* * *

He gripped Unobore firmly, feeling her strength and will travel through him and to his muscles and heart, enhancing the determination he already had. He hadn't held her like this for a long time, several weeks in fact. He found it hard to believe it had only been that long; it had felt a whole lot longer.

She was surprisingly compliant as well. Neji knew that he had hurt her by pushing himself. He knew that she was disappointed in him as well, but heck, even he was disappointed in himself, and that acknowledgement alone made Unobore forgive him. She was ready to give them the chance again, as long as he proved that he was worthy to hold her.

He had yet to do that. Today's training lesson, plus the ones that followed, may very well be important for his future as a shinigami.

"You are here," he said suddenly.

"Good." He heard his Captain jump down from a tree and enter the clearing. "You are using your hearing." He heard him unsheathe his lengthy blade, sealed, and brandish it. "That is going to help you a lot."

Neji nodded. Lieutenant Matsumoto was busy back at the Division campus, 'slaving' over some paperwork she hadn't completed the night before and that the Captain had forced her into doing. Both males knew that she probably wasn't doing them, and for a few seconds Neji wondered just how much Kiba had told her.

He had said nothing; he had told her nothing. However she had helped him with his problems, he obviously tried to avoid giving too much detail. For this, Neji couldn't help but feel a little proud to know the orange-haired woman. She clearly had a knack for worming her way into people's lives, whether they wanted her or not. Their Captain was clearly a tough cookie to resist taking a bite.

"Today's lesson is simple; improving your hearing," Hitsugaya began. "Keep your Zanpaku-to out and block when you anticipate my attacks. You miss, you will be harmed. You block, my speed increases. Understood?"

Neji slowly exhaled, re-wrapping his fingers around the leather handle. "Yes."

* * *

"So tell me about yourself."

Sai stopped on his walk towards the good district, looking over his shoulder slightly to see the grinning face of the Third Captain. He let one of his own signature fake smiles grace his lips as well as he turned fully to him and bowed his head slightly.

"Good evening, Captain Ichimaru," he said politely.

The silver haired shinigami waved a hand in dismissal. "Now, now. No need for such formalities."

"Forgive me. I merely heard that a superior should be acknowledged with their title and deserved respect," Sai responded.

Gin's smile widened. "Is that so? You have a funny way in showing it by eaves dropping."

Sai's smile faltered at the true accusation, and for a second he felt fear pump in his chest before he locked it away; but he couldn't keep a bead of sweat from caressing his cheek.

The Captain placed a hand on the shini-nin's shoulder. "You look a little pale," he said smoothly. "Are you ill?"

The artist took a step book. "No. Just famished," he responded calmly. "And I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, Captain."

"Is that so?" The older shinigami lost his smile as he tapped a finger against his cheek in mock thought. He sighed, then dropped his pretence, his eerie grin returning like a slithering snake. Sai had just felt a taste of his own medicine by meeting a smile as fake as his. This man was... creepy. "Did you know it is considered bad manners to lie?"

"Heh, really?" Sai said. He tried to keep his composure correct, but never had he felt this man evict such intimidating spiritual pressure. It was vague, yes, but it was his intentions that was making the artist's heart pound. "I'll make note of that the next time I think I would."

"Good boy. Now..." Ichimaru looked around the street. There were a few strolling shinigami, some of them dressed in casual clothes. None of them looked their way, nor even appeared remotely interested in why the two were talking. "Where is that Sakura Haruno?"

Sai paused for a second, before lightly shrugging. "Not here."

"Hmmm." He tapped his chin in thought again. "Well, if you do see her, will you please give her the same message I gave you?"

The artist frowned slightly. The Captain had accused—and correctly—but he hadn't actually left an obvious message. He wondered what it was then. It could have been what the other had said, considering both he and Sakura had been eavesdropping on that conversation several weeks ago (and why wait so long, anyway?) but was that seriously all?

"What message?" he asked.

Ichimaru grinned, bending over and placing his lips right by Sai's ear as he spoke into it. "Do not involve yourself in matters that do not concern you." And then his presence completely disappeared into the nightly, warm air.

Sai narrowed his eyes at the place the Captain was last standing, feeling a shiver crawl over his shoulders that he didn't react to. He had been right to keep this man under suspicion. He was clearly up to something, and was involved somehow with Captain Aizen.

It was strange though. The brunette Captain appeared to have a shell, an outer personality that he used to endear people towards him, make them see something that was clearly not there. Sai had seen it with his own eyes, heard it with his own ears, felt it with his own senses. He was not what he appeared to be, and that was always dangerous.

However, he couldn't tell anybody. The only person he could talk to about it was Sakura, but she was already in enough stew as it was, and Sai was a private person. He completed his objectives by himself, but Sakura, he could tell, may be necessary—and so would Ino. Already the blonde was neck deep in Aizen's web of lies, but she could not be trusted. At any moment, if he told her and asked her to infiltrate, she may just squeal.

Again, he completed objectives by himself. He had enough information on all the Captains—as much as he could get, at least—and more notes of observations on the shinigami he thought were a threat. Involving either Sakura or Ino would be just to get more information, but he knew he had enough.

He had enough for his mission at least. The only problem was giving them to Danzo.

"Hey, Sai!"

The artist turned around, seeing Sakura at the end of the way at another corner, waving her arm excitedly. He could see her body slightly shake, and so he frowned. It was not cold tonight. In fact, it was quite warm, and she was clearly dressed for the weather; shorts and a singlet with sandals.

He nodded to her and she stopped, hugging her waist as she tilted her head her way to indicate for him to get a move on. Sai did, taking his time to walk up to her side, and she waited until he did before she started walking in the direction of the food stalls.

He watched her as they walked, eyes analysing her face; her nose, her lips, her eyes, her skin. His gaze drifted to her forehead and he frowned. So many times he had heard Ino call Sakura a name that teased her about having a large forehead, and each time the rosette got furious. Honestly, he couldn't see anything majorly wrong with it. It looked normal. If anything, Ino was the one with the large forehead.

He wouldn't say anything though. In books he had read, and with what Sakura had told him, it was best to compliment a person about something no matter, rather than be honest with what he really thought. And he had, by the way, noticed that she looked livelier than when he had last seen her in the prison earlier that day.

Sakura blinked, looking at him and scrunching her nose. "What are you looking at?" she asked roughly.

Sai gave her a fake smile. "I was just marvelling your forehead." When he saw that she got angry by his comment, he frowned slightly, pursing his lips. "Was that wrong of me? I thought females liked compliments. A book I read—"

"Your naivety, I swear, is the only thing that's kept you alive for so long," she hissed.

He looked pleasantly surprised. "Oh. I suppose that's a good thing."

"Okay," she said shortly, grabbing his elbow to stop him. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious, Sai, but come on..." she shook her head, "...what sort of ninja were you? Sorry... _are_ you."

"I am one of you, am I not?" he queried.

She hesitated. "Sai," she sighed. "It's obvious to all the shini-nin that you're something different. And _up_ to something different."

"I am—"

"_Don't_ lie," she warned. Sai paused, his gaze level-headed, his face completely unmarred of any sort of emotion. Sakura wondered if he had even heard it, but she had spoken perfectly clearly. She had left her apartment before, hoping to enjoy a night that was free of worries and hopefully full of interesting conversation.

She was honestly interested in Sai; what he liked, what he didn't like, what his past was like and so on. She considered it a breath of fresh air from all the turmoil she was facing with her own Captain. She didn't want to think about the upcoming six months at all, as it only made darkness clench at her stomach.

"It's classified," he said at last.

She sighed. "Don't worry about it, Sai. Just promise me something."

He blinked at her.

"Help me forget my worries."

* * *

She sat on her bed, eyes closed, meditating, the small gust of wind that came through the window providing a blissful state for her in the stuffy room. She released a breath very slowly, ushering her heart to be content, to ignore all worries of the world that had already passed. They were weighing on her only, merely a fly in the way.

"Ino."

The peace was broken and she inhaled sharply, opening her eyes to see Captain Aizen standing in front of her, on the other side of the bars. He was half hidden in the shadows of the room, by she could still see a sheen of his body thanks to the silvery moon.

"Yes?" she said softly, almost sultry-like. He smiled and approached the bars, slipping an arm through the space and stretching a hand out towards her. She stared at it cautiously, before crawling over to his tanned fingers, slipping her pale ones into his palm. Slowly he closed his fingers over her hand.

"And how are you?" he asked.

She bit her lip and looked away from his eyes.

_No, Ino! Focus! Prove Sakura wrong! Besides, you're on a mission!_ she internally berated.

"I'm fine, Captain Aizen," she said, looking up to hesitantly match his gaze. Instantly she felt herself melting in them, feeling slightly hotter when he smiled warmly.

"That's good. I did worry. I'm... sorry I haven't visited you at all recently. Duties have kept me away," he explained. He squeezed her hand and lightly tugged on it, hinting that she was to come closer.

She complied, rising to a stand not far from him, her hand still in his. "It's okay," Ino hushed. "I mean, you _are_ a Captain. If you hadn't been doing your work, I'd be worried."

He chuckled. "True, true."

"And how is your Lieutenant going?" Hitsugaya's favour was ringing in her mind. Learn how the Captain views the woman, and any other possible information. For a moment, Ino wondered what exactly she was looking for, or hoping for.

"She is fine," he responded smoothly.

Ino grinned. "You must treat her beautifully."

"No more than how I treat you."

Her heart ran, and she blinked almost owlishly as she digested those words. "But I'm no one important," she said slowly, frowning in confusion.

He chuckled again. "And who told you that? Captain Kuchiki? I wouldn't be surprised."

She pouted, feeling a little bitterness course through her veins at the mention of the Captain. While she did harbour some feelings of the like for the man, it was more because of what Sakura had said about Captain Aizen. Ino's eyes were open. She could see a little more clearly.

He was stringing her along. She could feel those lies of his slipping beneath her skin and itching, but at the same time, she loved to drown in his sweet words. Who would be surprised that Ino Yamanaka, one of the most popular kunoichi of Konoha, felt deprived of male contact and flowery words? Even though she knew, she couldn't help it. Even though he was very likely going to cause her some harm in the future, she wondered if it was almost worth it.

"You are troubled," he noted. "Come here."

And she fell again, slowly approaching the bars until she was flat against it, until she could smell his musky scent and feel his breath on her forehead. She exhaled shakily, staring at his chest.

This was wrong. She knew it was wrong.

But as soon as he slipped his other arm through the bars and wrapped them both around her lithe body as a hug, Ino fell even harder into the web. She cursed herself, called herself names, and wondered profusely when exactly she'd stop believing this seducer, and his sweet lies.

* * *

"You are one odd duck," Sakura informed, poking Sai's nose before retreating back a couple of steps. He blinked owlishly at her, then at the tip of his nose. A pause, then he scrunched his face up in confusion.

"Are you not the one who randomly poked someone's nose?" he asked.

The rosette pouted in thought. "Well, true, but you are stranger than me."

"And how is that so?"

"Nuh!" she cried, rolling her eyes and swaggering beside him.

It was after dinner now, and ever since Sakura had put her curiosity for Sai's past behind her, she had quite enjoyed herself. She had always been curious of the boy but also worried about how he'd act. What would his attitude be like when faced with another female for dinner? When faced with knowing smirks and catcalls from other shinigami who assumed they were on a date?

That was one slice of the cake for why he was an odd being.

He didn't react, at least not in the negative. After each comment, he'd blink at her as if she'd explain it to him, and most often she would—even stuttering once or twice to her horror! Eventually she found herself answering any questions he had about relationships and interacting with other people. His cluelessness about such an intimate but well-known topic was just baffling but incredibly endearing.

She liked being the one with all the knowledge for once. She liked having someone somewhat depending on her to inform them.

However he was also an idiot. He still let his mouth run off without thinking his sentences through properly, which resulted in a heavy glare from her and the one or two bruises on his shoulders where she'd punch him.

She wondered if he was doing exactly what she asked, to help her forget her worries. In the end, whether it was intentional or not, he was successful. Not in days had she felt so light, being able to talk to somebody about something; about interests and likes and dislikes, even though that was hard to scrounge out of him.

It was fun. She had fun. He was fun. Just a bit odd.

Almost without realising she found herself glaring up at the half moon above.

"It's beautiful," she whispered unknowingly, green eyes grazing over the brightly lit moon that outshone the tiny speck-like stars around it.

"Why do people find beauty in such useless things?" Sai asked.

Sakura blinked rapidly, letting a small smile dawn on her face. "This is why you are stranger, Sai." He stared. "Because you don't understand the value of such small things."

She suddenly remembered the tiny book hidden beneath his scrolls the other day, and wondered whether or not she was right. Maybe he did understand the value of a small item, something that someone else might find meaningless. Maybe, as well, he didn't know that he knew that.

"What are you thinking?"

Somehow they had stopped walking the path, but they were not in the way of any other passing shinigami. She met his obsidian eyes, and for some reason she suddenly found herself wanting to know more about this man-to-be. What was he going to be in the future? What did he expect himself to be? What did he hope to be? Did he have his own dreams and memories? A family?

So many questions swarmed her brain, but in the end, only one thing came to her mind from behind the mist of unanswered sentences. And she expressed it swiftly, and simply, by wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him into an embrace.

He froze, taken completely by surprise. His arms were limp by his side, his eyes wide and his pale face even whiter if it were possible. But Sakura didn't care.

It seemed like, so far, Sai was the only person she was able to be around, and not worry about her own problems. He made her want to know his, to understand his... to help his. Already he was precious in her eyes. Already she wanted to protect him and his innocence.

Barely five seconds had vanished before she moved back, not meeting his widened gaze. She was slightly surprised by her initiative, but she wasn't complaining.

Clearing her throat, she stretched her arms about behind her and grinned at his owlish face. "That was called a hug," she started. "It's something shared between two people who consider each other friends. It's a rather intimate gesture but, well, it shows what each other means to the other."

"A hug...?" he said slowly. Sai's face melted back to his usual poker face, with that slight smile – though it was possible that it was sincere. "I've never been hugged before."

And somehow those words almost made her heart break.

* * *

It had been nearer to midnight when Sakura had blindly made her way to the Kuchiki manor, her body tingling in dreaded anticipation. Her high from spending her night with Sai had dramatically dropped to nothing but a faint, glowing glimmer in the back of her mind as she walked to what felt like her doom. For one thing she was glad of was that her Captain hadn't come out to search for her to bring her back home, but he never really would because he had to be far too busy to do such a trivial thing.

A trivial thing like taking her out of the Seireitei for six months.

The horror! Seriously. She didn't understand why it was so necessary. She _knew_ it would only make things worse.

"Are you Sakura Haruno?" a clear-cut voice punctured her haze of thoughts.

The rosette nodded curtly at the Kuchiki member, and without another word, was escorted quickly to her room for the night. The walk seemed to go on forever, even though the woman before her was moving very quickly like she had more important matters to attend to at eleven thirty in the evening. Whatever the matter, Sakura was glad to be finally inside her room, which was occupied with only a futon and a bag full of her belongings – enough, it looked, for six months.

Infuriated, her teeth clenched, she stalked towards her leather bag and rummaged through it, seeing what exactly was packed. The nerve they had for doing for this for her, when she perfectly had the capability to do it swiftly in the morning. This was invading her privacy!

"I had someone collect enough for the time needed," Captain Kuchiki's voice sounded from behind.

She whirled around, his stocky but lithe frame backed by the bright half-moon she had been admiring an hour or so before.

"What gave you the right to have someone go through my stuff?" Sakura demanded, brow drawn in.

He wasn't looking her way, but at the floor. "I told you we leave at the break of dawn. I will not have you floundering about your apartment trying to figure out what was necessary when that time could be put to better use."

"But it's invading my privacy," she hissed.

"Sakura." This time he met her green eyes. "Let me get this straight for you. For the next six months, there will be no such thing as privacy."

Her body went cold. "I-I – what?"

"I am... aware that I am one of your distractions," he said. "However, the time for that should be long over. That is partly what I am hoping for these six months – for that distraction to wane. To be honest, it's an annoyance. It will be gone by the end. The only thing you should come back with is the knowledge that you are nothing but a student to me – an impudent student who is refusing to grow passed her own trappings."

It was like the air had been squeezed from her body, leaving her like a concrete statue incapable of moving or thinking or feeling. And he didn't stop.

"These six months will make you stronger. I have no intention of giving you privacy for this very matter; you will not bathe, until I am satisfied with your training. You will not rest, until I am satisfied with your training. You will not sleep or eat, until I am satisfied with your training. You will not part from me, until I am satisfied."

Petrified, Sakura had no strength to point out that sleeping and eating are fundamental for gaining strength and muscle. Was he serious about that or was it merely a scare tactic? If so, it was overly successful.

She exhaled so slowly, so softly, that her brain almost melted at that lack of oxygen. And not once did she tear her eyes away from his, even if she swore that if she did she might break the scary illusion that he had just portrayed – it was like a gen-jutsu; a very high level gen-jutsu.

"I would not be doing this unless I thought it was worth it, or that you couldn't handle it."

"That's – that's..." Finally her voice had returned. "That's _torture_. I'm not – I'm not a slave, Captain Kuchiki. I can easily... break. If – If you're doing this because of some pride... _thing_ that you have with the other Captain's then—"

"Maybe I do have to tell you bluntly, then," he cut in quickly. Sakura gasped in surprise and fear, fighting the tears. "I'm doing this because I can see in your eyes that there is someone who you are desperate to prove yourself to; someone who you want to prove wrong. And no matter how much you deny it showing, it is as clear as ice to me. You're almost desperate to grow strong, that you don't even realise it.

"I can't let that potential go to waste. I cannot let it pass me by. I _am_ helping you, in any way I can."

He was right. She hadn't known, but it made sense. She was sure – certain – that that was how she felt, but she hadn't known it. And she had been so distracted by everything else, that...

"But... why?"

Byakuya turned his back to her. "I don't know."

* * *

_I know! Ino is being a pain in the royal end but the first step in stopping something is realising it. She WILL be fighting Aizen back sometime soon. I'm not sure when or how, and I'm not positive for sure, but I have a feeling she will show some strength. _

_Ta for reading.  
_


	17. Five Weeks Of Six Months

_*bursts out crying* Wow. You guys. Your feedback is just amazing. I didn't realise that so many people were still waiting for me to update. I LOVE YOU GUYS! XD So here's the next chapter. _

_I wrote nonstop, and edited it, but my brain is mush, so I'm unsure if anything is confusing or not. If anyone thinks that the characters are OOC, please tell me where and how, so I can improve, because I have a feeling BB may be a bit... odd... in this chapter... but he's freaking out Sakura as well, and there is a slight reason. And I'm trying to understand him too, honestly. :D_

_Anyway... I am seriously looking forward to the next arc. Like, _seriously_. So please tell me off if it feels like I'm rushing._

_Thanks to __**V-Oh**__ for giving me some tiny ideas for future chapters. :D_

_Review if you enjoyed please! Oh, and I have the poll still going in my profile, so check it out!

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—**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN—**  
_Five Weeks Of Six Months

* * *

_

The fire crackled and spat, hissing as Captain Kuchiki tossed another small log to the eating flames. Sakura just watched, curled up where she sat on her sleeping bag on the opposite side of the campsite, under a big tree. Beside her was her backpack, currently open with a few things spilling out from the top, and her Zanpaku-to was leaning up against the tree on the other side of her. She had been a bit hesitant in unrolling the bed she'd be sleeping in, a little worried that Byakuya would suddenly glare at her and order her to put it away and demand that she'd do a billion push-ups or something, but he hadn't. In fact, he acted as though she wasn't even there.

She was a little peeved about this. He had gone beyond scary the other night to inform her that he would be pushing her... but now he wasn't talking to her? Sometimes she wondered if his somewhat effeminate appearance also suggested mood swings.

They had been walking since dawn from the Seireitei without stopping. They had travelled through some sort of back entrance which avoided the Rukongai district altogether, which Sakura was disappointed in. If she remembered correctly, she hadn't been in there at all. The journey wasn't that hard. As a former-ninja she had completed relatively long runs with some ease, but as a shinigami, it was all the more easier.

There was a slight sizzling noise and she perked up. Byakuya looked up at the sky for a moment and then back down, taking off the food he had been cooking and handing it all to Sakura. Her eyes widened as she stared at the bowl being handed to her, unsure if he was suggesting that she needed to eat all of that or was merely giving her the option to get what she wanted.

"Eat it," the noble pushed. He slipped a pair of wooden chopsticks into the stew.

"All of it?"

"All of it," he repeated.

Sakura gulped as she took the bowl and gazed at the mild coloured food, inhaling the tangy scent. It didn't smell too bad, but she doubted she'd be able to eat all of it. She did not have the same large stomach that Naruto possessed – and she hoped still had.

When she noticed that Byakuya was beginning to put out the fire, she blinked in confusion. "What about you?" The question left her lips easier than she had expected. At first she'd worried that there'd be complications all over, but maybe because she was scared with what was to come, her worry and feelings for him were numbed.

"I'm not hungry. Nor do I need to eat constantly to be at full strength," he responded.

Sakura recalled the knowledge that shinigami in their youth as that occupation would need to eat a little more to gather strength for training, just like any other person doing the same thing. However, it seemed that after years and years of the same practice, eating was no longer an essential thing for well-trained shinigami to be at their top strength.

But then why is he making her eat three times the normal amount?

A raindrop splattered against her cheek as she took the first bite. It was... she paused in her chewing to watch the noble, glad that he wasn't looking in her direction. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to swallow the undercooked piece of chicken and from then on vowed to revel in the (at least) good tasting soup.

"You are about to go through your first lesson, Sakura," her Captain started, the smoke from the dead fire wafting in front of his face. He looked so menacing in the pale darkness.

"Already?"

"We must use the time wisely."

"Yeah, but..."

"Do not question me. You already know that," he responded quickly, narrowing his eyes.

She tensed her jaw. A raindrop splattered against her cheek, making her loosen up.

Byakuya poked at the damp ashes with a long stick, probably just as something to do. "I do not know how you trained yourself as a ninja, but I know that under my training for the past few years, I probably hadn't pushed you to your limits and beyond."

Sakura coughed into her bowl, the tips of her chopsticks in her mouth as she stared at him.

_Hadn't pushed me to my limits and beyond?_ she thought wildly. _What the hell! I felt like my body was about to fall apart!_

"Sit here," he demanded, gesturing to the rock he was on. Sakura followed his orders, confused, the bowl still in her hand. Byakuya moved out of the way, sitting where she had been before, under the thick foliage of an overgrown tree next to her sleeping bag. "Stay there until morning. Don't sleep."

"What?" she gaped, almost dropping her food – though it wouldn't be too bad, considering he was a lousy cook. No wonder; he had everyone else cook for him.

"Finish eating. Don't sleep. Sit there – in the rain."

"But how is that—"

As if to emphasis his point, the rain started to come down even faster. Without another word about her task, and leaving her to her gaping of disbelief, Byakuya silently went to bed – in her sleeping bag!

_He didn't..._ she seethed internally. _No wonder he didn't unpack his own belongings._

There was a loud snap of wood, and if he looked over his shoulder, he would have seen her chopsticks snapped in half and sitting neatly in her clenched hand – but he didn't need to look to know that anyway.

* * *

Six days later and Sakura was convinced that her Captain had suddenly been possessed by some sort of demon from hell. Since the first night when she had been told to sit in the rain and endure it, she had been sick with the flu, something that Byakuya didn't seem to notice as he pushed her harder and further – and not once did he explain how he was helping her.

He had also somehow roped her into carrying his luggage as well as her own. At first it had been simple because she had the strength to contend with it, but after the first day had finished, her muscles were screaming in protest – and so was her stomach. The second night he had informed her that he wasn't satisfied with how she was doing, and told her to cook dinner for him instead. The entire time Sakura was seething, glaring at the noble who was staring right back at her, watching her so closely that he looked like he was under the suspicion that she'd poison his food.

And every time he did something that ticked her off, she couldn't help but snap back. It was almost a reflex, a defence-mechanism, and she knew that she wasn't helping her situation with him at all. He seemed to be trying to force her to do it.

Her back aching, Sakura at last stretched herself on the green grass where their camp was. There was a river nearby, with a sharp incline next to it – a tiny waterfall was a little further downstream. The clearing was big enough for the campsite, but small enough that not too much rain could breach the canopy of the overhanging trees.

"Are you in pain?" Byakuya asked, but sounded completely uninterested as he inspected a plant.

Sakura bit her bottom lip, her brow furrowing and her stomach knocking on its walls, but she wouldn't say 'yes'. She just couldn't. She wanted to prove him wrong. She was sure that this was partly the reason for why they were out here, because she couldn't rein in her anger and it was a factor of his disappointment. Even if he said it was because he wanted to help, she didn't want to believe it.

"No," she spoke clearly.

Her body was in pain, but the more she relaxed herself, the more the pain felt good, like she had accomplished something. Those blisters she had on her hands from the Zanpaku-to handle practice was trivial.

He didn't respond.

"Sakura," he said. "Get some water."

The rosette slowly peeled herself from the ground and grabbed a pail that he had brought, not saying a word. She returned in several minutes, the filled bucket reasonably light compared to what she was used to lifting back in the Seireitei.

She sighed in relief at being back in the campsite, and taking advantage of the moment, she didn't hesitate to sit back down after she put the bucket near her Captain. As soon as she closed her eyes and sighed in relief, her whole body filled with dread at the sound of metal clanking and water sloshing.

She opened her eyes slowly, glaring at the spilled water, and without hesitating, dragged her sight to her Captain who was inspecting his blade, acting innocent. To say she was frustrated was an understatement. She was tired, in pain, sweaty, pissed, and to put the cherry on the top of the cream, she just knew it was almost her time of the month.

When his eyes lifted to meet hers, she braced herself.

"Refill it."

And she snapped.

"No!" Sakura challenged his raised eyebrow by rising to her feet and clenching her fists. "Why'd you knock it over in the first place?"

"It was an accident," he stated nonchalantly. "Refill it."

"Forget it. Why do you need it anyway?"

"Are you questioning me, Sakura?" Byakuya asked in a steely voice.

The rosette snapped her jaws closed at his rhetorical questions, and without another word, she grabbed the pail and left again to refill it. Once she returned, she put it by the fire, all the while glaring at her Captain and just _daring_ him to do it again.

He didn't.

Once she cooked dinner for him, he pulled out a second bowl, filled it, and put it in front of where she sat.

"Don't eat," he said, sitting opposite the fire and consuming his meal.

Sakura gaped. "Not eat? Not _eat_? How am I supposed to—" she bit her lip.

For the next hour she was staring at her food, trying not to lurch out and inhale it like Naruto and his ramen, but her stomach was growling at her, begging her to just give in and eat the scrumptious food she had put effort into making. After another hour the sun had gone down completely, and the two were still sitting in silence – one food bowl empty, the other full. One more hour and Byakuya had stood up, leaving the campsite without another word.

Sakura tensed her body, finding it much harder to resist since he was gone. An internal battle was raging to just reach out and have a little, and before she knew it, she had stretched out a hand and gripped the chopsticks. At the same time, a loud _whack _met her ears and a burst of pain exploded in her head. She dropped her chopsticks instantly and fought the urge to pout as anger seeped into her.

"You disobeyed. No sleep. Complete usual routine," he whispered behind her, and she heard the squelching of grass under his sandals as he left the campsite again.

As soon as she felt he was far enough away, Sakura punched the ground in frustration. And because it did nothing to appease her, she grabbed the food bowl and tossed it across the clearing, growling loudly as she did so.

"Why is it so hard?" she whispered to herself as she threaded her fingers into her hairline. "Kakashi-sensei trained us in a similar way and I could do that _easily_." Sighing in annoyance, she covered her face and exhaled again. "Then again, back then I didn't have all this drama all around me. It was just... Sasuke..."

Looking in the direction that her Captain had left, she pondered even more.

_And what is he expecting of me? Was he serious about helping me reach my full potential? Then why is he making me worry about such trivial things? Water, food, sleep. I don't get it._ She glanced at where her Zanpaku-to was sleeping. _Meikyou._

Sakura grabbed it and held her weapon firmly in her grasp.

_What is he wanting?_

_**To learn.**_

_I get that, Meikyou, but I don't understand what. I thought it was going to be sparring and—_

_**And it still could be. Your six months have just started. I don't doubt the noble-ice has something more planned for you other than this sort of thing. Just patience.**_

_I don't seem to have that..._

_**Then maybe that's what he's wanting you to learn.**_

_Duh, Sakura._

_**Yeah, that was a bit obvious**_.

_Give me a break! I'm at my wits end, here! Since the beginning it's like he's been trying to get me angry!_

_**Ahh,**_ Meikyou soothed knowingly.

Sakura perked at this realisation, and her fingers curled even tighter around her Zanpaku-to. _That bastard! You mean he's been trying to get me pissed the entire time?_

_**Yup! And it seemed to have worked! And loosen up your grip, please, you're squeezing too hard!**_

Sakura took no notice. _Well, I'll show him,_ she growled. _I managed it in my battle with Ino at the Evaluation. I can do it again! Believe it!... Oh my God. Tell me I just did not do that!_

_**I'm afraid you had,**_ Meikyou squeaked rather unnaturally.

_Naruto!_

Sakura had felt her body deflate before she had even realised why. She was beginning to miss home – Konoha, really. She truly wondered what it looked like now, and how much had changed since she had left. She hadn't been back there at all, even though she had requested to be amongst some of the shinigami who went in for routine patrol – she was denied, of course.

A sigh left her lips and the rosette rose to her feet, getting into position for her routine practice. Thoughts still flittered through her mind as she focused on both things at once. What could her Captain be wanting from her bursts of anger? Was it part of her training? It had to be. He wasn't one to waste time, which meant that everything she had done so far was part of his plan.

* * *

The next day Meikyou's prediction had come true. Byakuya had pulled Sakura out onto a bigger clearing a mile from their campsite – _why couldn't it closer?_ Sakura grumbled – and told her that they were going to practice. One of the first things she noticed was that he was wearing some plain black shinigami robes, and that his Zanpaku-to was sitting innocently on a rock nearby. The second thing was the ribbon tied in his hair in a high ponytail, it's free ends very long and drifting in the wind.

She resealed her fingers of her Zanpaku-to's handle, trying to get her cold bones working again. All the while she tried to distract herself from how much his countenance seemed have changed with the switch in hairstyle.

He tilted his head beside his weapon and said, "Zanpaku-to there."

Another thing she had noticed, as she kept her eyes on him and did what he asked of her, was that he wasn't using sentences as often. They were instead curt, strong commands.

"Retrieve the ribbon in my hair," he explained. "Use none of your shinigami knowledge, just basic running. If you must use something to catch me, use whatever gifts you have left from your ninja years."

Sakura widened her eyes. "W-What?" He had spent years trying to squash that side out of her, wanting to make her a full shinigami, so why was he suddenly changing his mind? And was it even possible? Over the time she had converted what chakra she had into reiryoku, but it was once discussed very early on that it might be possible for them to use reiryoku in the same manner as chakra. Shinigami probably wouldn't have been able to do it without understanding the ninja art already.

"You have eight hours. Begin."

No one moved. Sakura was stoned by the situation, and Byakuya wasn't intending on moving until she had.

She clenched her fists tightly, shifting her feet to get into a comfortable position. _What is he thinking? He has flash-step. Not something I can easily catch up with._

Without warning Sakura lurched forward, sprinting forward as fast as she could towards him. Her hand slowly stretched out as she neared him, but she knew that he was just going to step to the side like she was a leaf about to touch him. And so at the last moment she suddenly jumped back and ran in a different direction, in a circle. His eyes followed her but he didn't shift his body.

Once or twice she did the same thing, before she decided to try her hand. Again she sprinted towards him, her feet pounding against the grass, and up was her hand, ready to grip the red ribbon. He was going to move. She knew it. But she hoped.

Almost there.

He was going to move.

Her fingers were about to enclose over the ribbon and—

—it came off?

The long red ribbon in her fingers, Sakura stared at it in dismay. "What the...?" she mumbled under her breath.

"Good." And the thin material was gone and he was tying his hair up again. She blinked owlishly at him in confusion but he offered no explanation. "Try again."

She jolted her hand out to grab it but this time he side-stepped, and on instinct she lurched again and this time pulled it from his locks – she tried to ignore how silky they were when they were out in the wilderness and she hadn't seen him bathe in days; neither had she, for that matter.

Even more confused, she stared at her fingers where the ribbon once was but was now in his hair again.

"Once more."

It continued the same way. Every time she grabbed the ribbon, he'd get increasingly more difficult to catch. He'd flash-step behind her, to the side of her, in front of her, in almost every direction to confuse and disorientate her. By the time the third hour had passed, Sakura had finally caught on.

Slowly she was getting better at catching his movements and twisting her body in time to assault. Her feet would move easier, her sharp turns smoother and quicker, that it almost seemed like she was dancing.

He didn't show any signs of fatigue as they continued for the following hours, but Sakura couldn't hide her panting as she tried again and again to grab the ribbon, only for it to slip through her fingers. He'd tease her sometimes, make her think she had it when she really didn't.

Hours had passed, and then the final one. The game only ended when he suddenly stopped, making her crash into him. She moaned as she felt like sliding to the floor like she was goo.

"Are you in pain?" he asked.

Sakura stared up at him, frowning. Her legs felt like jelly, her heels stinging from sliding sharply in her sandals at quick corners, but other than that, she felt fine. "No."

He cooked dinner for her that night, which was slightly better than the other meal he had made. To scare her even further, he had also told her to have a bath – her first one for almost two weeks – in the river nearby, and she jumped at the chance to get rid of her sweaty stench – even recommended that he'd do the same. She _eeped_ in surprise when he made for a towel as if to join her, and she disappeared quickly into the foliage.

When she returned, he told her to get some sleep.

Finally. The first full night since they started.

* * *

Ino stretched in delight, a vixen-like smile on her face. Sighing in content, she dropped her pale arms into the hot water she was bathed in, baring her teeth at her two friends from Konoha. She had been let out of prison a while ago and was revelling in the freedom she had once again. Captain Ukitake had even gifted her with a meal at her favourite restaurant as a somewhat apology for everything that had happened. He was just too sweet, and was making sure she was perfectly happy.

However, Ino could see that the news about Kaein was still affecting him deeply, as well as the loss of Kaein's wife. They were both good shinigami, two people that Ino had recognised and admired, just like Rukia had. There had been a time when Rukia and she had even had a huge discussion about what the couple had done; all their achievements and the like. Rukia filled her in on basically everything about them.

Speaking of which, she had to see the Kuchiki female again soon. From what she had heard, Rukia had been out training by herself, something which Captain Ukitake was slightly worried about in his already unwell state of mind. Speaking of training, Ino had to catch up on her skills too.

"This feels good," the Yamanaka sighed, sliding further into the spring so that the water covered her mouth.

Tenten made a noise of contentment. "It is." She giggled. "I bet Sakura doesn't have these where she and her Captain are going camping."

"I don't think so either," Hinata concurred, arms unconsciously crossed over her bust even though she was under steamy water.

"Bah." Ino waved a hand. "She'll have it to look forward to when she comes back." She leaned forward slightly, her blue eyes twinkling at the Hyuuga. "So, Hinata, how are you and Lieutenant Hisagi, eh?"

The mousy female chirped and turned red, and it wasn't because of the heat. Tenten and Ino laughed as she sunk further into the water to avoid talking about the situation, but the brunette had lugged her up to the surface and encouraged her with teases to get her to spill.

"F-Fine," she stuttered, head bowed.

"Oh?" Ino smiled knowingly. "Have you kissed yet?"

Her face looked as though it was sunburned as she pursed her lips to not answer.

"You have?" Tenten shouted in shock. "Neji's cousin has kissed a guy?"

"What?"

All three girls froze in surprise as the masculine voice carried over from the other side of the divide. Hinata looked ready to faint, and a few of the other females in the vicinity had perked up as well, covering their bodies just in case a male had decided to go peeking into their area. They acted like it was almost expected.

"That wasn't Neji, was it?" Ino whispered.

"I'm right here, Yamanaka," was the response. It was close; right behind the wall next to them.

The blonde straightened, exposing her top half to the cold air. Hinata shook her head furiously for the two girls not to say anything about the situation at all, and Tenten bit her lip to try not to laugh.

Ino smiled awkwardly. "Oh, hi, Neji! How are you?"

"Funny, Ino," he mumbled.

"Is-Is there anybody else over there with you?"

"Hi, Ino!" someone called.

"Hi, Kiba!" Tenten and Ino yelled at the same time.

"Yo, girls!"

The brunette dropped her jaw. "You're there too, Renji?"

"Of course, you idiot! What? You think I'm friendless?"

Ino turned her head away as she muttered, "I would have thought so."

"Neji, what did Ino say?" He was growling, and they heard a splash of water – multiple splashes actually – as they assumed the other two had climbed out of the spring to lean closer towards the wall.

"Something," he replied monotonously.

Then another softer voice carried over the divide, and all three girls raised their eyebrows in surprise. "Is there something wrong with a kiss?"

"Pshh," Renji scoffed. "As if you don't understand the complications of a 'kiss', Sai."

Ino brought a hand to her lips and giggled quietly into it, finding the cluelessness in the black-haired shini-nin's voice to be incredibly interesting and amusing. Tenten, as well, was trying not to burst out into laughter; her cheeks were bulging.

"No. I'm afraid I don't."

Hinata dropped her head closer to the surface of the water as though the boys were watching her from above. "Isn't this spying?" she whispered to her friends.

"They can't exactly see us, can they?" Ino dismissed, leaning back in her spot.

"I-Ino... Neji has the Byakugan."

Tenten and Ino went rigid. "You-You mean he can...?" the brunette spoke softly, pointing a finger at the fence. Hinata nodded with an interesting poker face. Tenten's jaw dropped. "That _never_ sprung to mind!"

They didn't bother pointing out that he was blind, and the chances of him ever using the Byakugan again was like a miracle.

"Neji, you perve!" Ino yelled for her friend.

"What? What did I do?" he asked, sounding affronted.

"You've been perving on Tenten for all those years as a ninja!"

They heard the other two boys congratulating the Hyuuga as said man remained stoic to the accusation. They had even heard them asking where they could buy a pair of Byakugan eyes for the exact same purpose. Whether Sai had commented or not, they didn't know, because he had remained silent over the fence; the girls imagined him with a confused expression melted onto his face though, which was amusing.

"Tenten. I swear I never used it for that," Neji apologised calmly. "And speaking of which, Hinata, what was this about you kissing someone?"

She squeaked again and there was a slight pause before Kiba's yelling resounded throughout the entire hot springs.

"_What?"_

* * *

Byakuya had woken her up very early in the morning the following day. It was so chilly that she had trouble pulling herself out of her sleeping bag to sit there and meditate with him for two hours. After the few hours, she felt as though she had evolved into a statue or something because she could hardly move without feeling as though her bones were about to break.

Breakfast was skipped, and he showed her a shougi board, gesturing for her to sit on the other side. After asking if she had played the game before, Sakura admitted that she wasn't very good at it, though it didn't dissuade his decision.

"Defeat me once and you can ask me any question you want," he said, watching her as she set up the pieces from memory.

Shougi was something that she had seen Shikamaru play dozens of times, and he was excellent at it. Sakura was intelligent, and she knew that, but playing against her Captain unnerved her because she knew he had the time and mind to play the game and win. She couldn't turn down the challenge though, and the two began to play. Of the five matches they played, Sakura had won none, and her punishment was basic routine.

She had only been practicing for an hour, with her Captain watching underneath the tree, when he suddenly stood up and grabbed his Zanpaku-to. She paused in mid-swing, wondering what he was doing, and then she felt it – the presence of a hollow.

"Sakura."

"Yes?" She lowered her Zanpaku-to as her hair slowly started to stand on edge on the back of her neck.

"Defeat it."

She exhaled as she turned around and headed in the direction of the foe, knowing that her Captain was following behind her the entire way.

It must have been a somewhat new hollow because it scoured the land like a puppy searching for food. Its few legs were thin and gangly, protruding from a black body that was shaped like the back of a bee. Its head, though, was a squat thing that just looked like a giant mole on one end of the torso. She couldn't see where the hole was until she had started the battle and jumped above it to avoid a sudden attack where it could extend its head, its jaws snapping wildly like a piranha.

It couldn't speak, only fight.

Sakura back-flipped to avoid a foot stomp – its limbs, too, it could extend – and shivered in disgust as its wart-like head changed its position on the body, its soul-less eyes watching her closely.

No matter how freaky looking it appeared, it hadn't stood a chance. Sakura was confident in her ability to take down one hollow – even two, if it came down to it. She had come away with only a few scratches that were from some twigs she had plummeted into when the hollow had unexpectedly changed its tactics and she had trouble adjusting in time.

As soon as she had landed neatly next to her Captain, he asked, "Are you in pain?"

Sakura frowned. That was the third time he had asked that. Why was he asking her so frequently?

"No," she responded shortly, scanning his face for any hints of what he was thinking, but he was like a wall.

"There will be hollows appearing around this area – it's one of the more populated places where they appear – and you and I will be exterminating them."

"Yes." It might have also been a request from Head-Captain Yamamoto to do this, so she wasn't going to fight back at all. Besides, it'd be a part of her training.

* * *

The weeks dragged on. All the while, Sakura found herself wondering what was happening both back in Konoha and in Soul Society. She knew that Ino had to have been released ages ago, so she pondered over what the blonde was doing. Were they all training hard like her? How was Neji going with re-learning how to fight with his slashed eyes? How was Naruto and Kakashi-sensei? Just... so many questions.

Those thoughts were sparse because most of her time was consumed with Captain Kuchiki's intense training. It certainly got harder as time went on, and he was true to his word when he said privacy was something that she hardly got – save for the very private things, such as dealing with her period or going to the toilet. Otherwise, bathing was a gift, sleeping was a godsend, and good food was a miracle.

Whenever it rained she had to brave the cold and wet by focusing her reiryoku to travel faster throughout her body so that her skin was lightly heated. This made stronger against the elements, but she hadn't progressed too far with it, and she wasn't certain why it was necessary either.

Shougi was something that she just could not win no matter what she did. After having a talk with Meikyou, they both confirmed that Byakuya was testing her strategic abilities, to see how far she could plan ahead in the middle of the battle. Once or twice he had actually made her apply her knowledge in a quick sparring lesson against him, but they hardly ever pulled through because he was always one step ahead of her.

Byakuya was right about there being plenty of hollows around, and Sakura managed to dispose of almost every one they found. Not all of them did she manage to evade unscathed, as there were a few that left a bleeding gash in her side which her Captain would treat with the limited knowledge he had in the area. It was those moments she hated because his touches on her skin were fleeting, like butterfly wings, but it made her stomach clench.

The little game he had invented to improve her reflexes and turns as she tried to steal his ribbon was getting harder. There were times where she wasn't able to catch the ribbon once, and there were other times we she'd get it just narrowly. She hardly noticed that she was gradually keeping up with Byakuya, so she surprised herself by suddenly telling him off when he had randomly performed a flash-step to avoid her. She was getting faster.

And after every little thing they did, he'd always ask the same damn question in a monotonous tone: "Are you in pain?" and each time she said that she wasn't; she was fine. Sometimes it was a damn lie but there was no way she was going to admit that to her Captain. He just wouldn't be pleased.

Their relationship? Sakura wondered what the heck was going on sometimes. More often or not her stomach was releasing tonnes of butterflies whenever he so much as touched her, but he didn't seem to notice – or he was ignoring it. He had admitted that he knew he was her distraction, but yet he hadn't done anything about it. If anything he was making himself more like one than before by standing a little closer to her.

She just didn't want to waste her time trying to understand what everything was between them, more because she didn't have the time to sit down and seriously think.

"Who is it that you want to prove yourself to?" he suddenly asked out of the blue, jarring Sakura's thoughts about the last five weeks.

"Huh?" Glancing up, she saw he was nursing a bowl of stew that she had cooked moments before. Hers was almost gone because she was starving after training.

He popped a bit of vegetable in his mouth and repeated his question.

Sakura swirled her chopsticks around in the soup. "You say that you see that in me, but... I'm not too sure," she admitted. "I don't think it's one person. I think it's everyone. My friends in Konoha – Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, Lee – my friends in Soul Society... oh!" She perked. "Sasuke, too. I think he's number one, or around there."

"Tell me about him," her Captain almost demanded.

She bit her lip and exhaled, wondering what to say. "He was a prodigy in Academy class. All the girls loved him because of how good he was with what he did, at how calm he acted, and also how he just looked in general as well. He reminds me of you, actually," she confessed, staring at him.

"Oh?"

"Hm." She nodded. "He came from a clan as well; the Uchiha clan. And they had a special ability or bloodline limit – kekkei genkai – which was exclusive only to them; the Sharingan. It was said to have derived from the Byakugan.

"Anyway. I didn't know too much about him, even though I swore I was in love with him. I always asked him out, I followed him, and in part, because of my attitude back then, I abused Naruto... and Sasuke himself. I didn't really have a care for what made Sasuke like he was, but I knew that he was driven by revenge, to defeat somebody. Rumours hit amongst our age group; it was his brother he wanted to kill."

Sakura finished her meal off quickly and placed her bowl down on the grass between her feet.

"But most of all, Captain Kuchiki, the one I want to prove wrong is you."

For the first time that evening he met her eyes. She tried not to react to its infectious gaze too much.

"That's probably why I'm confused with why you are wanting to help me. There are other shinigami out there who could benefit from your tutelage, but yet you focus all your time on me. I wonder, as well, if you help with your sister's training."

"Rukia Kuchiki is a part of Division 13, not 6. She is not mine to watch over," he responded harshly. "And you are my student; it was orders."

It was beginning to be like a staring competition, and it was only a matter of time when one of them looked away.

"How _long_ am I going to be your student, Captain Kuchiki?"

"Until I am satisfied." She was surprised he had answered.

"What are you hoping to gain?" she asked without skipping a beat.

"Your own self-satisfaction." But it was nothing about him.

Sakura paused, trying to come to grip with his sudden confession. She still couldn't understand what made her special enough for him to focus so much of his time on her. It didn't matter if it was orders that began this, because Sakura felt there had to be some other reason. This feeling had only surfaced in the last month when they started.

"What if I said my own self-satisfaction also comes from you helping other shinigami?" she asked hotly but curiously.

There was a tense moment where he hadn't answered, merely stared – though now it felt more like a glare – at Sakura.

"There's a lot of things you do not know about me," Byakuya said, abandoning his half-full bowl of stew by resting it on the ground.

Sakura gritted her teeth. "I made that mistake with Sasuke. I'm not going to do it again."

And at that time she wasn't aware that that was her resolve.

* * *

"I heard."

Kiba jolted, whirling around in his stroll to see Sai smiling at him pleasantly. The Inuzuka sniffed and narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he crossed his arms. His Zanpaku-to was on his back, a thick weapon that had no scabbard other than a few strong yellow sashes that kept it secure.

"Heard what?" he asked gruffly. If Sai knew anything about him, it had to be something he didn't want anyone to find out. Or maybe it was something about socialising. Word was it that Sakura had been teaching him about human interaction over dinner the night before she left with her Captain for training.

Honestly, Kiba wondered why the rosette was even helping the suspicious shini-nin. It was clear to all of them the moment they had met him that he was in another league and alliance, but just what, none of them knew. Even though the shini-nin hadn't gathered as often in the last few months, it was something agreed on early on that Sai was something different, and in Soul Society for something different.

The artist slowly approached him with a neutral pace and a fake turn of the lips.

"I heard that your Zanpaku-to is your former canine."

Kiba clenched his fists over his arms at the mention of the topic. It was something that still got him riled. It was all a huge mess, really. Kiba had wanted nothing more than to honour his village by joining this mission and become a shinigami, that he really wondered if accepting the proposal of the experimentation was really the right thing to do – then again, Akamaru had made the decision for him.

It was odd not having his companion by his side in solid form. They were still together, permanently, but it wasn't the same. He wasn't walking alongside him when Kiba went for his usual routine walks in the morning and night – like tonight. The dog bowl he had brought along from Konoha was sitting empty in his apartment, and he still had the unique brush that he used to groom him with.

Even though he was still fighting as one with Akamaru, things were just not the same.

Kiba wished that he could go back in time, and choose the option to return to his village rather than risk the life of his best friend. The loneliness was not something he was used to. Akamaru wasn't even able to speak to him with actual words like the others had mentioned their spirits could do, because he was not a born-spirit. He whined and barked still, he inhabited the sword still, making it shudder whenever he was angry or excited, but he couldn't speak. This was what made Kiba so lonely, because now he didn't have someone he could sit down with and pat as he talked the day away.

Talking to a seemingly empty room... just wasn't the same.

And what would his Mother think?

"What about it?" he snapped, refusing to face the other. The remembrance of the woman who birthed him made rage spur within him - and fear.

He froze instantly when he felt Sai patting his back, and he whizzed his head around to growl angrily at the boy but stopped short when he saw his expression.

"What the hell does that look mean?"

"I'm sorry," Sai said. "Sakura told me that if someone is sad, comforting them is a good way of improving the relationship."

"We don't even have a relationship, stupid," Kiba rejected.

He ignored the comment. "What do you feel?"

The Inuzuka furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

"What does it feel like... to be sad? I can see your expression, and I think it portrays sadness, but what does it feel like?"

Kiba unfurled his arms and let them go limp by his side as he stared at the other boy in dismay.

"Say that again?"

Sai blinked. "Was it the wrong thing to say? I don't particularly want to be hit again..."

The brunette shook his mane. "No. It was just a surprise. I mean, we heard that you had no emotions, and well, we could sort of guess that by looking at you, but just being asked that question..."

"Is it difficult to explain?" was the innocent query.

Kiba scoffed. "Yeah, it is. Because every sad feeling is different, depending on what caused it."

"Hmm..." Sai pressed a finger against his lips in thought, slipping his other hand under the elbow of the other. "I would consult a book, but Sakura told me to not do that."

"Dude. Even Naruto knows not to use a book when it comes to socialising..."

Sai blinked. "Who is Naruto?"

"Oh. Wow."

"Is he as thick looking as you?"

"_What?_"

"You look like the type of person who runs on instinct, rather than brains," Sai explained.

"Instincts are worthy too, you know," Kiba growled, folding his arms again.

Sai nodded. "True."

There was a moment of silence where Kiba looked down the path in the way he was going, and then behind. There were a few shinigami about, walking in groups and chatting animatedly with their friends. He side-glanced at Sai and saw that the artist was watching the groups of people as well, with an almost confused expression on his face – or was it a longing to understand?

"Hey. I've got an idea," Kiba suddenly said, facing Sai full on. "Let's have a little lesson."

"Okay?" he muttered innocently.

_Heh. I guess I see why Sakura helps this guy out,_ Kiba thought to himself in amusement. _Even if his poker face _is_ damn annoying._

"First lesson: sadness."

Sai nodded, straightening as his face went tight with understanding and expectation. He was going to soak in anything he could because he was honestly curious.

Kiba had taken one step before he stopped and half turned back. "Pay attention to how I speak to others as well, okay? In fact, just watch for any body movement. You're a former ninja; you should be able to handle that."

"Got it."

"Right." And then the Inuzuka started to sprint towards a group of female shinigami, waving his hand in the air. Sai followed blindly behind, wondering what was going to happen. "Hey, girls!" They gave him their attention almost instantly. "Can we ask a few questions?"

One grinned, baring her rows of pearly teeth. "Absolutely!"


	18. Action

_:O Wow, peoplez! Hugs for everyone! I wish that were enough, because I dunno how to show my gratitude. If there is someway I can, tell me! Maybe a small oneshot of a deleted scene for this story, or a scene that happened behind scenes or something. Just spinning the thought. And apologies to those people I hadn't responded to. I will do my best now. :D_

_On that note, I sincerely apologise for the lack of Byakuya-Sakura-training action in this chapter, but things piled up that needed to be explained. Next chapter, however, will definitely have more. :D Also, if I stuffed up somewhere, in some way, then please tell me where, how, and why you think so, so I can improve. _

_Is it just my computer, or is everyone else's acting weird when it comes to entering the BLExNAR section on this site? Because when I go to look for it, I have to go into one that I've favourited or written to get to the section where the almost-1000 stories are. Otherwise I can't get to them. You know what I'm talking about? Or am I just mad?_

_For those people who are fans of my oneshot **Cat And Mouse**... I'm writing a sequel! XD Look out for it!  
_

_And thank you so much for the support! XD And, if you have free time, can you please draw a picture of your favourite scene so far? Or a movie poster? I know a picture is a lot to ask, but that's only if you feel like it. _

_Please enjoy! Help me get to 300! XD_

* * *

—**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN—  
**_Action_

* * *

"Three days…" Kiba muttered angrily to himself, wiping a cloth firmly over the blade of his Zanpaku-to but making sure to take extra care. "Three days…" he repeated. Akamaru shivered in discomfort when the rubbing grew too violent, and the Inuzuka relaxed slightly, setting his companion down on his bed in front of him.

Running a hand through his shaggy brown hair, Kiba moaned in frustration and leaned back onto his futon, hands behind his head.

"How does Sakura keep sane around that guy?" he complained. "He's a pain in the butt! Worse than Naruto, almost." Akamaru shuddered again and Kiba sat up, pointing a finger at the blade. "You were there, weren't you? How can he get a punch in the face by just walking up to someone? He didn't even say 'hello', much less get to the part we practiced."

He groaned again and scratched his head out of habit. "I don't get it. I don't get _him_."

The very first day he appointed himself as the artist's teacher was one he was debating as the day he'd like to go back to most, to change his answer. Kiba really didn't know what he was getting himself into. At first Sai wasn't bad.

After talking to the three girls and quizzing them on recent things that made them sad, Sai had been quick to point out body motions, but wasn't adept at connecting the motion with its emotional meaning. That had been a bit more difficult to explain, but as he tried to, Kiba realised that it was a lot like learning another language. One gesture had so many different meanings, that you had to understand the context of the situation to get what a gesture might mean.

When he realised this might be a problem, and when Sai had tried to practice, Kiba was beginning to get nervous.

A knock on the door brought him out of his loud musings and he grumbled that it must have been Sai as he took his time to get up and answer the door. True enough, the artist was standing there, smiling what he thought to be politely but almost made Kiba want to slam the door shut in his face.

Sakura had strength to put up with this guy's shit, which was one reason why the Inuzuka did not want to back down from the challenge. If the rosette could do it, so could he. Maybe it was because he wasn't a girl…

"Good afternoon, Kiba," Sai greeted.

The Inuzuka clenched a fist and suddenly realised why the guy did get a punch in the face that time.

* * *

The three girls laughed, Hinata the only one who had the etiquette to cover her mouth as she did. Her arm was linked with Ino, who had Tenten on her other side, and all three were sauntering their way back from the food district. None of them really wanted to separate, having enjoyed their time at lunch with each other, so they were trying to stay together as much as possible before they had to part ways – which they each knew they had to.

Tenten simmered to a chuckle, and the amused grin curled into something more sinister when she spied something further down the pathway. Pointing a finger, she asked, "Hey, isn't they Kiba and Sai?"

Hinata smacked her lips closed and stared in fear of the approaching Inuzuka – Sai was trailing a little behind. "Oh no," she squeaked and tried to hide behind Ino. It was kind of difficult considering Hinata had bigger hips than the blonde and was easily spotted.

"Don't worry," Ino giggled. "I have a feeling he's forgotten about the spring conversation. He looks a little too angry to remember."

"I hope so," Hinata mumbled. She didn't want to deal with her ex-teammate either. Neji Hyuuga was bad enough.

Tenten chuckled heartily before shooting her hand in the air and waving it merrily. "Yo, Kiba!"

His head snapped up at the sound of his name and the girls saw a reel of emotions cross his face; the original frustration, deeper frustration, realisation then relief. He uncharacteristically gave a small wave back before he crossed his arms again. Ino and Tenten giggled and waved in unison when Sai gave a polite shake of his hand as well.

"He's kinda cute," the blonde admitted. Tenten nodded in agreement.

"I heard he was being trained by Sakura before she left, and now Kiba's taken over for her," Tenten said.

Hinata peered over Ino's thin shoulder, her lavender eyes wide and quivering. "It mustn't be doing too well," she meekly added in.

"I'll say. He looks ready to bite the end off a pipe," Ino remarked casually.

Kiba nodded as soon as he approached them, a hand hidden between the overlaying folds of his robes. "Girls."

"Kiba," Ino said. She grinned at Sai. "So what's your lesson today?"

He responded back with a smile of his own. "We're finishing 'Sadness'."

Ino and Tenten took interest in the topic and started discussing what he had learned. Kiba, meanwhile, had caught sight of the hiding Hyuuga and took a step forward. "Oi, Hinata!"

Before he had the chance to say anything, Ino had abruptly ended the conversation by pushing Sai into Kiba and saying something in a long sentence that suggested that it was time for them to go and that Sai should pay attention to the teacher to learn fast. The Inuzuka was already metres away from the shy Hyuuga before he knew what was going on, and when he glared at Sai walking innocently beside him, he felt even more confused.

"What…?"

"I don't know," Sai responded swiftly, but the way he tilted his head away showed Kiba that the artist probably had a hand in their sudden departure.

With the two males gone, Hinata sighed in relief and leaned against Ino's back. "Thank you," she whispered.

Ino and Tenten giggled. "No problem," the brunette beamed. A look of realisation dawned on her face. "D'you know what? Sai and Captain Ichimaru can be eerily alike, but I quite like Sai… when's he not himself. Captain Ichimaru sorta freaks me out."

"And that's saying something," Ino quipped. "Not much creeps you out."

"Is there a compliment somewhere in there?"

Ino shrugged. "Just saying."

"Right… speaking of which, are he and Captain Aizen friends?" Tenten asked innocently. Ino froze. "I've seen the two talk a fair bit and, well, I was just wondering. Didn't really see Captain Aizen as the type to talk to Captain Ichimaru."

"Y-Yeah, I noticed that too," Hinata responded. "One time they came to my Division and spoke with Captain Tousen, like they were friends but…" Her eyes shifted to the side to show her hesitance to the notion.

Ino glanced between the two of them somewhat frantically. "And? What are you asking me?"

"Wasn't really asking anything, to be honest," Tenten said humbly. The skin above her eyes wrinkled as she frowned and crossed her arms. "Now that you mention it, Ino, you haven't mentioned Captain Aizen's name in days. Did something happen?"

The blonde shook her head in what she hoped was a casual manner, and that the forlorn look on her face passed as disappointment for the lack of activity with said Captain, rather than anxiety for what she planned to do that night.

"Nope. I've been busy with training," she answered truthfully.

Hinata nodded. "I've seen you training with your Captain a lot more recently. Is it going good?"

Ino could almost hug the stuffing out the Hyuuga for changing the subject. "Yeah, really good."

"Ino, can I be honest?" Tenten suddenly asked firmly. Ino's insides felt like they had melted as soon as she heard those words, and the brunette didn't give the female a chance to respond before she spoke what was on her mind. "I'm glad you're spending more time with your Captain. Back at the Chuunin Exams, I didn't really know what to think of you – and Hinata and Sakura, for that matter – but as soon as you started to grow attached to Captain Aizen…" she shifted her feet, a sign that what she was going to say next may very well harm the Yamanaka, "…I didn't particularly want to get to know you at all."

Ino's chest bloated at the admission, and she fought the sadness that was overflowing within her. It was bad enough to realise her own mistakes – and still follow them despite stepping into the light – but hearing it from someone else's lips was a huge blow she wasn't prepared for. Ever since Sakura, no one had mentioned her previous (and current, perhaps) infatuation with Captain Aizen, when she was more than ready to listen to them now that she understood what they were saying. If anyone else had spoken before Sakura, they would have gotten the same reaction the rosette did.

She was just too lost in her own world at that time.

"I mean, you didn't exactly look… very open," Tenten continued. "And your attitude honestly pissed me off, but now…" A smile breached her lips, and Ino weakly smiled in return. "You're actually kinda cool."

The Yamanaka glanced in a different direction and wiped a few stray tears from her eyes. "Just 'kinda cool'?" she teased. "I thought I was cooler than that."

"Nuh." Tenten chuckled. "The coolest person in my book has got to be Hinata, right here!" And she slung an arm around the female, reeling her in to her body. "I mean, she's the first to get a guy around here! And she's got two more trailing after her," said Tenten knowingly. "I know Kiba and Neji are wanting some answers from you, girl. Don't hide it!"

"I'm not hiding anything," the Hyuuga protested, trying to conceal herself from view behind her big sleeves.

Ino's blue eyes sparkled in amusement; behind them she was hiding the pain of honesty. Honesty did hurt like a bitch after all, but she appreciated the brunette for speaking her mind – even if it was a bit late.

Her appreciation for Sakura, however, just skyrocketed.

* * *

It was evening.

Under the tiny moon shown above, Ino casually walked towards Fifth Division, her resolve set, her lips grim. Tonight was the night that she was going to begin her secret mission, and she prayed constantly that everything would go well. Captain Aizen was good at reading facial expressions, so all she had to do was be better than that.

Yet the flurry of butterflies in her stomach was making her sick. It wasn't anything too new. Even in Konoha she'd get nervous before a mission, depending on what it was.

She slowed to a halt and looked up, staring at the sign on the white wall that showed her destination. Taking in a breath, she evenly released it as she entered the division and followed the path to the main office. Internally she hoped that she'd meet the Lieutenant soon, and that Captain Aizen was currently away so that she wouldn't be faced with him and his skin-deep questions.

As if answering her thoughts, a young woman turned the corner from the wooden building, and upon seeing the tall, slender blonde standing at the balcony steps, she stopped. "Good evening," she welcomed, bowing.

Ino dipped her head as well, scanning the brunette woman and her fair but somehow naive-like features. She reminded her of Hinata in many ways. "Hello. Are you Lieutenant Hinamori?"

She smiled serenely and nodded curtly, a slight bob in her movement – her hair whipped about her neck. "Yes, that is me. Do I—oh..." She put a hand to her mouth and smiled a little wider. "I know you. You are Captain Aizen's friend; Ino Yamanaka." She bowed again. "Pleasure to meet you."

The blonde raised an eyebrow at the greeting but bowed regardless. They way Hinamori spoke was almost as though Ino was nothing more than just a friend, but Ino knew that it was definitely something more than that. There was chemistry, some sort of hidden substance that made their relationships a lot more deeper than just 'friends'. Well, that was how it felt before Ino had opened her eyes.

So Aizen wasn't all that honest with his own Lieutenant? Interesting.

Hinamori giggled. "Come in, please. I've been wanting to talk with you, but Captain Aizen has often told me that you've been very busy."

Ino at that moment had taken a step up onto the balcony, but was now frozen; surprised. She had been busy, definitely, but she still found time for friends and other things. More than that, she had been asking to meet his Lieutenant as well.

Suddenly she didn't like the mission.

"Thank you," she whispered, and followed after the older female. "I've heard a lot about you," she started. "Captain Aizen mentions you a fair bit." Actually, it was a lie. If anything, she had been the one who brought up the brunette female the most, but was always dismissed. But for the sake of the mission, Ino decided to do a whisper a few white lies.

Hinamori didn't have to be facing her for Ino to know that she was blushing. "Really? That's nice of him. Oh! Here we are." She slid open the doors of a room and took off her sandals as she stepped in, Ino following behind. The two women settled down as the Lieutenant quickly conjured up some tea and served it.

At first they spoke about how Ino was going with her training, and the major differences in being a shinigami compared to a ninja. Momo was particularly interested in that, and Konoha. She tried describing Naruto and Lee, who were the two she had saved when the village was attacked by hollows.

Nostalgia slowly crept up on the both of them – particularly Ino. It seemed to so long ago that the memories felt like they were black and white and worn, but still brought infinite amount of joy. It was when Ino almost felt herself letting go to talk about her childhood, and she blamed it on the feeling of the moment, did she snap back to her right frame of mind and continued with her mission. By starting off talking about her teachers back in Konoha, she gradually led the conversation to her Captain-teacher, and then began on Aizen.

"You've known him for much longer, Lieutenant Hinamori," Ino said, pouring some more sweet tea. "What does Captain Aizen mean to you?"

Her young face lit up. "He's always been a nice man; a real gentlemen. Though he does show some sternness for those who ask for it, and deals punishment when he sees fit, he's very much like an idol; someone you can look up to."

"Do you?" A sip.

"Of course! When I was training in the Academy, it was my goal to become a part of his squad the moment I had seen him."

Ino leaned on the table in interest, her tea cup firmly in her grip. "And now that you are? How are things?" she asked almost coyly. And judging by the way a hint of red developed on HInamori's cheeks, she had noticed the suggestive tone as well.

"N-Nothing like that!" she protested. "Like I said, he's a complete gentleman."

Ino felt unconvinced, but did not have the chance to say a thing when the door slid open and the very topic of their conversation stepped in, an innocent smile on his face as he gazed down at the two females.

"Yamanaka," he spoke with surprise, his eyes widening behind his thick, black-rimmed glasses. "I didn't expect to see you here."

She shrugged casually, though did feel a little frightened that he had seen her in his Division, when he had made it clear that she wasn't meant to be there. He hadn't said it in words, but with how much he'd brush off questions about his Lieutenant, that was the hint she got.

And she definitely noted the lack of her first name. He always called her Ino.

"I met Lieutenant Hinamori outside, and she offered some tea," she explained. "I couldn't turn down tea."

His smile became more amused. "No, I suppose not." And he turned his attention to the brunette opposite Ino. "Lieutenant Hinamori, have you completed the paperwork I had left on your desk?"

She shot up from her seat, almost knocking the table over. "Oh no! I forgot! I was so distracted with—" He had held up a hand, chuckling.

"It's okay. How about you finish them now, before the day is out?"

She nodded profusely, and prepared to leave.

"But don't overwork yourself, okay?"

Momo hesitated at the exit for a second before she nodded and then left, her footsteps disappearing into the distance. Ino traced her nail over the design on the tea cup she still had in her grip, before slowly easing herself up.

"Ino."

Ahh, there was her first name.

"Yes?" she asked. She almost – almost – flinched when he rested a hand on her shoulder, his shadow looming over her. It was intimidating, and she knew that was exactly what he wanted.

"Were you looking for me? Is that why you came here?"

_Don't fall for his sweet words, Ino,_ she mentally berated, but on the outside she released a soft, wispy sigh.

"Yeah, I was." And she spun around, momentarily surprised at how close he was, and stared up into his warm brown eyes.

_Don't get lost in them._

"I'm sorry, but it couldn't wait," she continued. "There was something that I suddenly remembered before, when I was at my Division, and I wanted to talk to you about it." It was odd lying straight to face.

Aizen brought a hand to the side of her head and flattened her ear against her skull, cupping her jaw gently. His touch was leaving a burning trail, and Ino found herself conflicted with how she should feel. "And what was it?"

_I'm losing sight of my mission!_ she screamed at herself, unable to tear her eyes from his. It was just... so easy to fall into his side and let him do what he must to protect her. It was so much easier than fighting.

_**You can always just give in if you want,**_ her Zanpaku-to suddenly spoke.

_Do you really have so little faith in me?_

_**It's not me who has the lack of faith, you fool. That's you. It's all you. This would have all been a lot easier if you didn't let some man strip you of your independence.**_

_Hana... _you're_ a man._

_**Feh. That's right. Then don't listen to me, wench! We all suck balls, us men!**_

Ino broke away from Aizen in a flash, cupping her mouth to hide her small and hold back a laugh. He blinked in confusion, perhaps even a little hurt that she pushed away like he was burning her – oh, the irony – but after realising that she was giggling to herself and patting her Zanpaku-to as if to berate him, amusement melted onto his face.

Folding his arms, Aizen asked, "What did he say?"

"Nothing." But she was still sniggering to herself.

"Maybe I should punish him later," the Captain responded. "He ruined the moment."

It was Ino's turn to blink in confusion. "Moment?"

Aizen's answer was swift and simple, but it made heat burst in Ino's stomach. He kissed her – a light, feathery peck on the cheek – before he pulled back and stared right at her so intensely that her toes then curled, her breathing hastening.

A slight frown marred Aizen's forehead, as he gently rubbed a calloused thumb over her cheek where he had kissed her. "It's harder to take care of a flower than I first thought."

* * *

It had been bugging her for the past three days. It was like a fly buzzing around her head, the twinging ache of using a sore muscle. The thought was just there, hovering about in the forefront of her brain that it started to affect her training. Byakuya was probably wondering what the hell was going on, because Sakura had been doing quite well until those three days ago, and suddenly her concentration plummeted like a rock to the bottom of a pond.

She paid for it though. Hardly any food was given to her, and she wasn't allowed to bathe or wonder off until she had completed punishment – which became a variety of sword handling or other exercises, such as push-ups. And all of it was under the watchful eye of her Captain.

But now. Now the thought was practically leaking out of her ears, that she wouldn't be surprised if he commented on it. So it was now or never.

Lowering her Zanpaku-to in a huff, she panted quietly and looked at said man seated opposite the fire and watching her like a hawk. "Who picked me?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Who chose me to become a shinigami?" she repeated more clearly. She noticed the slight second of hesitation.

"Why does this matter?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "It's obviously affecting my training, or have you just been enjoying watching me sweat buckets as I work out?"

His silence made the rosette wonder if he was digesting her sarcastic, rhetorical question, but then he responded. "Is that what's been on your mind?"

She nodded. "I've been wanting to know for the past two and a half years, but I've never actively searched for who suggested me."

"And if you find out who it is… what would you do?"

She relaxed her tense body and smiled satisfyingly, baring her teeth in a way that just oozed upmost gratification. "I'd thank them… from the bottom of my heart," she responded. "They've provided me with a new life, something which just feels so much better than the one I had before. They changed my life. They saved me, it feels." She quirked an eyebrow. "Did you recommend me, Captain?"

His lips stayed sealed shut and he looked into the fire to avoid her scrutinising green eyes. Sakura frowned, noting the way his broad shoulders sagged slightly in what seemed almost like guilt, and when he didn't answer for several more minutes, she got the idea.

So it wasn't him. And he doesn't seem too happy about who had nominated her.

Asking outright certainly didn't help Sakura as she tried to concentrate on her punishment thereafter, because now her mind was swarming with suggestions about the Captain who had changed her life, and how it wasn't Captain Kuchiki – and how he looked guilty most of all.

* * *

Hinata had never seen her cousin act like the way he was now before. Almost everywhere she went he was following her as best as he could with his lips tight, as though he was very unhappy about something. She was honestly a little scared. What was he hoping to see? Didn't he have training anyway? She knew he was almost fanatic about catching up to all of them again, so why was he wasting his time tailing her?

She quickly ducked into an alleyway beside a dumpling shop, her arms raised in front of her chest and her fingers playing with each other nervously. Glancing behind, she could see him turning in the same way.

How was he even able to see where he was going?

Emitting a pant of fear, Hinata suddenly burst into a run, praying that he wasn't going to start running too, but when she heard the same rhythmic slapping of his sandals on the earth as hers, she knew he was. It wasn't long, as she randomly went down different paths and turned odd corners, did he disappear. At last, she thought she had lost him.

"Hinata?"

She screamed, grabbing at her mouth as her lavender eyes almost popped in shock.

Hisagi was towering over her, his head blocking the moon and the dull light from the street lamps. He had his arms crossed and, if she looked close enough, he had an eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Don't scare me like that, Lieutenant!" she scolded, grabbing at her long locks in frustration.

He shrugged. "I just said your name."

"Don't sneak up on me," she muttered.

"And why were you so on edge?" he asked, stepping a little closer. Hinata welcomed the comfort his presence gave her.

"It's—It's nothing," Hinata dismissed, shaking her head.

Hisagi suddenly cupped the back of her head and guided her lithe body into his, resting his head on the top of hers. Slowly the female Hyuuga latched her fingers onto the black material of his robes, revelling in how she felt in his loose embrace. It was good; he was good.

Naruto was somehow forgotten ever since she was killed. Ever since she had accepted that Soul Society was her home and not Konoha, Hinata had begun to accept that Naruto was just too far – even further than before – to reach, that she just turned her back to her feelings and searched elsewhere. It wasn't like she was on the prowl for another man, but it was just luck that her feelings had planted themselves on her own Lieutenant.

Things were so different. She was only used to following Naruto around and drawing confidence from his own overflowing one. She was used to small offerings that were usually ignored, and most of all, she was used to fainting. Since day one she had practically fainted before the blond, but with Hisagi... she hadn't seen him anything more than her superior at first, and was nothing less than formal around him. She had only seen him as a friend first, growing comfortable in his presence, before she ultimately realised that the slight hammer of her heart whenever he helped her or smiled at her was because she liked him.

Better yet, they didn't really have any expectations of the other.

"I received news from Renji to be aware and on guard for a certain blind Hyuuga who is under the tutelage of Captain Hitsugaya," Hisagi joked, his chest rumbling as his words spilled from his mouth. Hinata enjoyed the vibrations against her forehead.

"He doesn't know who it is, yet," Hinata responded, smiling against his robes.

"Well... I didn't... but I'm pretty sure it's the man who has his arms around you right now..." Neji's voice flooded the walkway.

The couple slowly looked up to see the Hyuuga standing atop the wall, his robes dramatically swinging in the breeze with the moon now behind him. His light-coloured eyes glowed in the darkness like a hawk staring down at its prey – the whole scene was almost from a drama or something.

"...am I right?"

Hinata squeaked.

"Hinata..." Hisagi said, "...is this why you were on edge? Was he following you?"

She nodded into his chest, feeling a little afraid with what would happen. Neji jumped down from the rooftops and casually approached the embracing couple, slipping his hands into the opposing sleeves of his robes.

"Why would you follow her?" the Lieutenant asked, narrowing his eyes. "It can be labelled as an offence."

Neji, the bandages over his eyes, seemed to be looking at Hisagi now that he spoke. "Would you believe me if I honestly said that I was just curious about who the man was in her life?"

The black-haired male peered down at the woman in his arms as if to ask her if she was the one to believe it; after all, it was her being followed, and it was her own cousin. Hisagi had a feeling though that the male saying such a thing was a big deal. From what he had heard, the Hyuuga was quite like Captain Hitsugaya, though apparently did have some shining moments, such as the revenge against the hollows for killing Hinata initially.

That was something that earned Hisagi's respect in the first place, even though he had never actually met Neji before.

"Yes..." Hinata said after a moment's thought.

Neji raised an eyebrow even though it wasn't as easily seen underneath the bandages. "Did you have to think for so long?"

A weak smile broke onto her face before it disappeared and then slowly formed again. Eventually a giggle bubbled from her throat and in her excitement, she clung to the form in front of her, grinning at her cousin. Neji seemed to be fighting a smirk himself, and was stuck with a horrible grimace on his face that made Hisagi almost snort.

"I may be blind, dear cousin, but I can feel your emotions pretty easily, and I'd rather not be here for when they rise even higher," Neji dryly spoke. Hinata blushed at the insinuation.

"Then why don't you leave?" Hisagi asked, his hands gripping her tiny shoulders.

"I plan to, right after I warn you," the Hyuuga informed.

The Lieutenant huffed in amusement before saying, "Well, what is it?"

"That was all." And Neji turned and disappeared.

Hinata giggled again into Hisagi's chest, and she spoke so softly that he almost didn't hear her.

"He approves."

* * *

The next morning found Neji and Kiba sparring together in the training grounds in the centre of the Seireitei. It was a nice area with a few trees littered about, but because they were often destroyed by harsh training, nobody bothered to plant some more. Watching the two work to the bone was Sai, sitting against the wall with his art supplies and a notebook (for his new lessons with Kiba), and Matsumoto, who was chatting to him about something.

To him, she was an interesting woman. Many characteristics were similar to that of the Hokage – such as the long hair, love for booze, and the big breasts – but Sai ultimately decided that he liked this Lieutenant more, because she hadn't slapped and punched him for 'accidentally' commenting on her boobs. She just laughed and smiled fondly at him, clapping him on the back and remarking how he was a lot like someone she knew.

On the field, Neji was on the defence. He was still not perfect being blind, but he was getting better at telling when someone was coming to attack him, and at what distance they stood. His hearing was impeccable. Even though he had just started out, pretty much, with this sort of training, already rumours were flying that he was definitely Captain material if he kept it up – and that Captain Tousen would soon have a rival, if not already. But he was not to that standard yet. Nowhere near.

He hissed in annoyance as Kiba's heel grazed passed his cheek, drawing a line of blood from him. He defended and swung Unobore up to get rid of the 'fly'. Kiba back-flipped away, dragged his hand down Akamaru and let it rest on the tip as he steadied himself and waited for the next round. Neji did the same, panting quietly. He was peeved that Kiba hadn't activated his shikai yet – which he had seen before, and it was very... intimidating... – but was grateful in the end that the other somehow had the ability to fight at Neji's level of ability. It had dropped, after all, but was steadily rising.

Swallowing and steeling himself, Neji waited for the Inuzuka to move. And he did. Blows were met, metal was sealed and hits were exchanged, and then he started talking.

"Hey, did you see Ino this morning?" the shaggy-haired brunette asked. His voice carried over to the two other shinigami watching them, so it was free for any of them to answer.

Neji blocked, clenching his jaw. "No. Why?"

"Ahh, yes. I had," Sai spoke from the sidelines. Matsumoto looked a little lost about who they were talking about.

"Do you mean that blonde girl from the Evaluation?" she asked. "The one who was sent to jail for a few weeks?"

"That's her!" Kiba yelled. "Shit!" he cursed, sliding back and checking a new cut bleeding on his sword-arm. "And no reason." He panted and wiped some sweat from his forehead. "She looked a little weird when I saw her leaving her room. Her apartment is near mine, so I see her almost every morning."

"Really?" Neji took the opportunity to use his sleeve to wipe some salty water from his brow as well. "And how did she look?"

Kiba shrugged his hulking shoulders, and the Hyuuga, sensing this, internally clapped himself on the back for not getting crushed by the strength of every one of the Inuzuka's blows. They were heavy, and very strong.

"A little out of it. Floaty. Fairy-like." He pointed a finger at Sai. "No, she's not sad."

The artist blinked. "How do you know that? I think I've done quite well. Maybe I would be able to tell."

Kiba almost laughed out loud but managed not to. "No, no. You didn't see her face."

"Why?" Neji asked. "What was it like?"

This time the Inuzuka chuckled. "You mean besides its beauty? Yeah, yeah, don't hate, I think the blonde is damn fine."

"You find my Lieutenant attractive, Kiba. I worry for your taste in women," was the dry response. Matsumoto looked torn between yelling at her half-student and blushing and teasing Kiba for calling her attractive.

But Kiba didn't seem to care that she now knew that he thought she was sexy, because he continued talking. "Come on, Neji! You have to admit, there's something really fine about Ino."

"I fail to see how—"

"Answer me," was the snappish, impatient response.

Neji sighed almost comically. "I suppose so. But I see it for Sakura and Tenten as well."

Kiba chuckled and shook his head, Akamaru resting diagonally over his shoulder. It looked like he should be pushed into the ground, but he was waving the weapon about before like it was a stick. "Can't you narrow your range, Neji? I mean, seriously! You can't have a harem!" Neji glared. "And Hinata's got a little something, too."

Neji glared even harder. "She's taken."

Kiba bit angrily on the inside of his cheek. "I know, and I still haven't figured out who it is. Haven't seen her much in the past few days but I _will_ find out who it is!"

The Hyuuga was positive that he'd never tell Kiba who it was, because there was the niggly feeling in his stomach that told him that the canine-lover would act more serious about than he did. Truth be told, he was very much concerned about the man she chose, but after sensing how the two felt, he couldn't deny that those two did care for each other, and that he'd be a complete jack-ass who'd get a major beating from Ino and Tenten (and Sakura, when she'd find out) if he even dared to try to tear them apart.

He was looking out for her, but he didn't want to get in the way of her decisions. She was old enough, now. No longer tied to the Hyuuga clan (but still holding the last name, for now) and, if she wanted to, could probably wipe the floor with him.

That thought... was more than embarrassing.

"Oh, and about Ino..." Kiba continued – finally. "She had this weird smile on her face when I saw her. I al—"

A black butterfly flittered from behind Kiba, scaring the daylights out of him as he tried to swat at it. It deftly dodged and flew over to Neji, dancing about his head before refusing his finger to sit on and resting on his nose. He tensed (as if glaring) before nodding, and it flew off.

"I have to go. Captain Hitsugaya requests me." Matusmoto perked up, frowning. "You should probably do your paperwork, as well, Lieutenant."

She grinned. "I'll get right to it!"

Neji quietly scoffed in disbelief before leaving.

It didn't take long until he reached his Division, and when he got there he was surprised to hear Ino leaving his Captain's office. Hitsugaya had wished her to be cautious, and she casually waved him away and told him that she was fine. Only when she was out of range did Neji appear at Hitsugaya's office, and open it without him being told to.

"Saw Yamanaka, huh?" was the quick response, and Neji could hear distaste and... anger... in his voice.

The Hyuuga tensed up, worried he had probably insulted his Captain too much by storming in and preparing to enquire about the blonde, and so he bowed. But Hitsugaya told him not to worry about that, and waved him closer. As he approached his Captain's desk, he couldn't help but feel that something bad was going to happen, and that he was walking towards some theoretical death. He sat down, head straight and up at the short, white-haired boy who was staring right back at him.

Then he spoke, and with what he heard, Neji really shouldn't have been surprised, or hurt, but he was.

"The Hyuuga clan wants to disown you."

He truly was.


	19. Three Years

—**CHAPTER NINETEEN—  
**_Three Years_

* * *

"Excuse me!" someone yelled from in front of her. Rukia swerved out of the way just as the navy-haired shinigami sprinted past in a blur, kicking up the white dust of the Seireitei paths.

She raised a finger at the woman's back, saying, "Hey, aren't you that—!" But the girl was already too far down for her to be even heard, so she finished lamely with, "...that Hyuuga."

Standing in the middle of a populated pathway, Rukia Kuchiki flattened out her robes against her body, ridding herself of the white dust the Hyuuga shinigami had tossed up onto her. With a tired and exasperated sigh, she took a couple of steps forward in the direction she was heading.

"Yo—Ow!"

Rukia jumped back in surprise, expression a startled one as Renji Abarai massaged his foot with a frustrated look on his face. His teeth were bared and he glared at his oldest friend, slamming a hand on her head and mussing up her locks. Rukia yelped, struggling with the attacking hand, and so stuck her foot out and hitched Renji's foot forward. He fell back hard, air vacant from his body for that split second when he remembered to breathe again.

Growling, the noble shouted, "What the heck was that for?"

Renji twitched. "For stepping on my foot," he mumbled.

"Maybe your foot shouldn't have gotten in my way, then."

He snorted. "You should have looked where you were going," the red-head snapped, jabbing his foot out to knock the female off her feet but she pranced around his attempts, her thin eyebrows narrowed at him. Other shinigami walking the road spared them an amused glance, already used to such antics.

"You didn't have to stop in front of me!"

"Oh yeah?" Renji rumbled, standing up and sticking his hands on his hips, bending over so that he could stare the noble right in the eyes – and she stared back with as much gusto as he did.

"That's right!"

"Sorry for not seeing someone as small as you," he taunted, a smile curling onto his lips – but that was gone as soon as Rukia gaped and kicked his knee, sending him to the earth again. "Crap!"

The dark-haired female jabbed him a few more times for safety before stepping back and crossing her arms, looming down at her old friend with thin eyes. "Now. What do you want?" she asked slowly, in a way that warned him that his answer better be good for ticking her off.

Renji chuckled and lifted himself off the ground. "Free for training?"

Rukia's already narrowed eyes slimmed some more but she gave him a curt nod nonetheless. They walked towards the training grounds, Rukia having to take twice as many steps to match the red-head's long strides, but despite that extra effort (which was a cinch) they found themselves holding a conversation. The topic? The shini-nin.

Rukia confessed that the only one she had been interacting with on any length was Ino, for obvious reasons, and even then she didn't know the girl fantastically well. They interacted, yes, but were only likely to be considered good acquaintances, if at all. It was then she found out almost everything Renji knew about the shini-nin that he hung out with – which was pretty much all of them.

Kiba was a giant for his age, and Rukia remembered seeing him walking around because he was pretty hard to miss in a crowd. Even if he was as tall as the average adult, his berth was enough to turn heads. Plus, he exhibited such an interesting reiatsu that he was even more of a target for wandering eyes. That was what Rukia knew, but Renji was pretty close with the Inuzuka, and had a few other things to say that she felt she was better off _not_ knowing.

Tenten was pretty much the Division 11 Princess, but she neither acted like nor looked like it – Renji's words, not her own. The red-head spoke fondly of her, and Rukia tilted her head at him in interest, asking if he had more than just friendship feelings for her. His response was guttural snort which the noble felt could go either way.

Neji Hyuuga was one that almost everyone knew about – besides Kiba – because he was blind and was still managing to impress some notable figures. Renji stated that the shini-nin still had a long way to go to match his previous skills, but knew that there was still so much more in store for the Hyuuga. Rukia couldn't help but agree. Neji reminded her of her brother in several ways; calm, cool, calculating, and even a little cold – it looked like it at least. Whenever she had seen the pearl-eyed man, he just looked so stony that Rukia felt like she was staring at her brother. A rogue thought traipsed through her mind; he was beautiful, like Byakuya Kuchiki.

Hinata Hyuuga, cousin to Neji, was the only full shinigami. Renji admitted that he didn't know the mousy female very well, but had heard some mainly nice things about her through his friend Lieutenant Hisagi. He casually let slip that the two were dating, and Rukia almost ran into a passing person in surprise.

The mere mention of Sai made Renji burst out laughing, but his only explanation was that for her to fully understand she'd have to speak with him.

Then he brought up Sakura. Rukia knew as little of her as she did any other shini-nin, but Renji kept side-glancing at her as if expecting some sort of reaction as he spoke. She knew the rosette was her brother's student and that there was some sort of tension between her and her friend Ino and Captain Aizen. Basic gossip was all she knew, but Renji's eyes made her suspicious.

He suddenly chuckled, earning a quirked eyebrow from her. "What is it?"

"Nothing," he dismissed. "Quick, let's get started!" He flashed a smile at her. "You better last longer than last time, Rukia. I didn't even break a sweat."

"Ha!"

But she still wondered.

* * *

"Neji!"

Hinata practically sprung from the doorway to her cousin's side in seconds, arms around his shoulders and holding him tightly to her chest. Fresh tears streamed down her face as Hitsugaya's words, which were whispered through the Hell Butterfly moments before, once again echoed in her mind, but slowly; slowly so that they taunted her and squeezed her insides.

"I just heard," she whispered Neji's ear. "I-I can't believe it…"

_The Hyuuga clan wants to disown your cousin. Meet us in my office. Captain Hitsugaya._

"They can't…"

"They have, Hinata," Neji consoled, gripping her shoulder tightly.

Hitsugaya shook his head. "They haven't yet," he informed them. The two Hyuuga gave him their half-hearted attention. He inhaled as he started to explain. "Your Hokage, enraged by the news, had informed Soul Society immediately. The idea is in the works. You still have time to convince them that you deserve the title."

Neji lifted his head to reach his Captain's stern gaze. "They won't listen, and I—"

"Father wouldn't go through with this!" she almost shouted, pearl eyes narrowed at the white-haired Captain. She shook her head spiritedly and swallowed what felt like a rock as she held back the option to cry out. A sneer met her wet lips when she realised, and she hissed, "The Elders. They must have something to do with this." By the end of her sentence her voice cracked, making way for those clear tears to caress her cheeks once more.

Neji had trouble looking at her, partly in his own personal shock that Hinata was accusing their own clan. She _hissed_. Hinata _never_ hissed or raised her voice against _anyone_. Where had the shy girl that he knew before and after the Chuunin Exams go?

"Hinata—"

"They'd have to have a reason. Neji has always surpassed me as a Hyuuga. He was a perfect one, and he'll be perfect even if he _is_ blind."

Did Hisagi have something to do with this? But how? All the man would have done, if anything, would have been to add a little strength to her spine, but since he had last seen him last night? He couldn't be that fast could he? Neji tensed, his own problem momentarily forgotten. Did Lieutenant Hisagi and Hinata… No way.

It would probably explain the sudden burst of confidence and desire to curse her own clan but… this was Hinata, she wouldn't—couldn't—it just wouldn't be like her. Neji forced himself to blink heavily so that he could unhinge himself from his daunting thoughts and back to his own massive dilemma; one that Hinata was going crazy to defend him for.

Hitsugaya leaned back in his seat and hid his hands within his shihakusho. "Maybe that's why they want to disown him. He doesn't have the Byakugan – not anymore – and to them a Hyuuga is defined by this trait. If he doesn't have it, he isn't considered one."

"But that's—"

"And coupled with the fact that he's now a shinigami…" He tilted his head. "I have no doubt that these Elders are just using us as an excuse – or a chance – to change the Head of your clan," he ended coldly.

Hinata adopted a poker face reminiscent of her father's. "Neji is a part of the branch family. How would—"

Neji watched as Hitsugaya lowered his head a little as if he was sending the reason telepathically; both Hyuuga understood exactly where he was coming from at the same time.

Hitsugaya leaned over his desk and threaded his fingers, glowering at the parchment under his arms that had written on it the news of the recent happenings in Konoha. It was a direct message from Tsunade herself, so her messy scrawl smothered the page that depicted her haste – and/or anger.

He exhaled and scratched his scalp. "Neji is a direct cousin to your father, who has now lost not only a nephew, but also his own daughter… I saw him after the news that you were killed, Hinata." He paused before he shook his head.

Hinata trembled at the implication and slowly let her hands fall from Neji's shoulders. Her face was an ashy white and taut, her cheeks bones more prominent than ever. "The Hyuuga would never do that," she whispered, her voice shaking. "Father was good as Head of the clan."

"But is that what the Elders think?" Neji responded instead of his Captain. "I saw him too after you died. No matter how strong he is, he was permanently maimed the day you died and I left. He may have Hanabi—" he interrupted quickly after seeing her lips part to protest, "—but would he still have the strength to pull through? The Elders believe he's not in the condition to lead the clan, so they're using this opportunity to eventually overthrow your father."

Neji watched as her face hardened. "I'm not going to let them," Hinata announced, setting steel-like eyes on both men in the room. "Using my father's momentary lax mind to allow your expulsion…" she said, her words like solid stone, "…thereby giving them a chance to make decisions only decided officially by the Head before the eventual moment where they de-seat him? _Forget it_."

She rose languidly and Neji was left in a spell of disorientation as her presence started to disappear from his side. He swallowed, thinking quickly. "Will they listen to you, Hinata? You're dead."

The former-shy female stopped and turned around, staring down at her cousin. "Don't the Hyuuga honour their dead?"

He didn't move to meet her face to face. "They never expected one to come waltzing in on them to alter their decisions."

"Then it will go down in history as the first time ever," she responded acidly.

Neji paused, feeling Hitsugaya's eyes flicker between them in interest. "Why are you doing this?"

Her eyes were glued intensely to the back of his head, and slowly he started to turn. He felt it happen then. Her façade instantly broke and Hinata collapsed to the floor as though all the strength had been sapped from her at once. Tears bubbled from her eyes like a fountain and she trembled like a chilly wind had blown by.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm sorry I-I don't know w-what got into me. I—oh my God." Keeling over, the female found herself having difficulty breathing as she both tried to inhale and weep at the same time. Her following words were an indiscernible babble, with only, "I'm so sorry," managing to slip through.

She flinched violently when Neji put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "That, Hinata, was hate; the real deal."

There was silence. Emotion was so high in the room that the snow-haired boy almost loathed to break it.

"As… touching as this may be," Hitsugaya cut in, earning their attention. He shifted the parchment in front of him around so that it could be read from their side, and pushed it towards them. "What do you intend to do?"

Neji stood. "It's my decision. Let me think on it. Please."

Hinata gripped his hand before it left her shoulder, and looked up at her cousin with teary eyes. "B-But my f-father… I don't… I don't want t-to let them."

"Hinata," Neji coaxed, lowering himself down to her again and putting his hands either side of her like he was able to see everything perfectly. He wiped a tear from her cheeks and tightened his lips, smearing another droplet of water from her eyes.

"Ow," she winced, breath hitching.

"Sorry."

In the background Hitsugaya tightened his lips to stop himself from smirking at the accidental poke in the eye.

"Hinata. You are not a part of the clan anymore," he started again, explaining softly. "You don't have to deal with their politics anymore. You are _free._" He exhaled in an almost exhilarated way, like the thought of freedom was a godsend. "Your name is written in their books as a perpetual member of the Hyuuga clan who died in war, trying to protect your village. Don't ruin that."

"But my fath—"

"Hinata," Neji said sternly, silencing her, tilting his head so he mirrored a hawk leering down at its prey. Inhaling, he then looked to his Captain and said, "I've made my decision."

* * *

As days passed and shifted into hasty weeks, Sakura found that it was easier to forget about their last major conversation concerning who chose her two and a half years ago. Maybe it was because she was getting into the routine of her training and was desperately looking forward to returning home. Maybe it was because she missed everybody, or was excited to showcase her new abilities in a mock battle against Ino or something – or perhaps Neji, considering he had to have trained a whole lot since he was blind.

She enjoyed it; this training. Sakura relished in the fact that she could practically feel herself improving bit by bit, while also, hopefully, impressing her Captain.

After three weeks they had started on improving in shikai. Meikyou was incredibly helpful. She was as determined to help improve Sakura's skills as the rosette was, and was more than willing to lay forth as much of her strength that Sakura could take. Captain Kuchiki insisted that she use shikai more often against the hollows they encountered, and slowly Sakura was gaining a higher efficiency with the way she wielded and exploited her weapon.

On the topic of shougi, Sakura was beginning to understand the way Byakuya moved. That was one thing she learned; to analyse and understand your opponent's techniques before going in for the kill or win. When she realised this she threw a hissy fit that he hadn't told her such a simple thing in the first place, to which he answered that she was better for uncovering it herself. Unfortunately, she had yet to defeat him, but she was getting close; she could feel it.

Flash-stepping was under her belt. She was no where near as fast as her Captain but she understood the technique and could perform it with ease. His little game of capture-the-ribbon was one that reminded her of the Bell test Kakashi had devised back in the beginning the more she played it. Sakura told Byakuya this, dripping in nostalgia as she revealed bits of her life as a ninja in training. He never commented on anything, but she knew he was listening.

He was always listening.

That alone made her feel like spilling her darkest secrets. Almost. Before the six months had started it seemed as though he didn't pay attention to her, but now she knew he was. She didn't know what changed, though.

It didn't matter if Sakura was beginning to get the hang of her training regime, though it did make her more motivated. Captain Kuchiki was pounding more stuff on her, making her work harder and harder, and never did he forget his almost signature question regarding her wellbeing. It was almost a natural thing for her to just whip out that she was fine because it was such a common thing now.

Four days. There were four days left.

Sakura groaned and rolled over in her bed, wincing and inhaling sharply as a rogue pebble jabbed at a bunch of sore muscles in her shoulder from under her sleeping bag. She had never pushed herself so hard, but at the same time the pain felt so good as a reminder that she was getting better, and that always improved her mood.

She shifted again in her bag loudly, trying to close her eyes as the smell of smoke filtered through her nose. The fire was out, leaving behind wispy grey smoke that snaked in the air. It was dark in the clearing but not silent. Crickets chirped and the rustling of the leaves was almost driving her insane.

Sighing, Sakura turned over again.

"Must I glue you to your bed to stop that incessant shuffling?" Byakuya's voice trailed from over the other side of the campfire.

Sakura grunted in response but then slapped her forehead. "Oh, God!" she cursed. "I have _got_ to spend less time with you when I get back. You're turning me into monosyllabic freak."

"A freak?"

"For a noble you really don't use your speaking skills to your advantage," she muttered. "Try some flowery language, or say some words that are so long and complicated that no one knows the meaning of."

"Thereby shunning me of the farcical amusement you dispose when provoked by a monosyllabic syllable?"

Sakura paused, green eyes darting in confusion. "What?"

She heard him chuckle before turning over in his bed. Forced into silence, Sakura mouthed his words again in hopes to understand, but came to the gradual conclusion that he just spouted those words to annoy her.

Well, it worked. And it was adding to driving her to insanity.

The next day after breakfast the shougi board was put in front of her, the counters already in place, ready for their next game. Spooning up the last of her stew and popping it into her mouth, Sakura dropped her wooden spoon into the bowl and placed it next to the pot, chewing contently as she nestled in front of the board. Byakuya watched her closely.

"You have four more days," he said. "That's four more tries to defeat me, including this one."

"Pfft," she scoffed. "Okay. Let's begin."

"I do hope this casual attitude with me won't continue to be like this when we return to Soul Society."

Sakura nodded. "Only in private, Captain. Promise. Besides, you haven't changed a bit," she told him, staring at the board. "So you don't need to worry about your reputation for being the iciest man on earth." She did a move.

Byakuya followed. "Surely I'm not that icy."

Sakura shrugged, thinking for a second before making her move. "Maybe I've thawed you a little, then."

He chuckled. "Amusing analogy, but quite… inappropriate." A light click sounded as he set his chip down.

The game continued with light talk, mostly from Sakura who was trying out a new tactic of goading the noble. It was a shame he never fell for it and caught her on it at the same time. Ashamed at being found, Sakura groaned aloud when she realised she had made a mistake in her strategy. A light whack over the back of her head was a punishment for not paying attention before the game continued.

A grin broke out on her lips when Byakuya finished his turn, and she sent him her goofy smile, saying, "Prepare for spilling a secret, Captain, because you are going to lose."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yup!" she chirped, making a move. "In my next turn. Check."

"Checkmate."

"What?"

"Less goading. More thinking."

Sakura's eyes whirred across the board, outlining all of her Captain's last moves with her own, trying to figure out how he won. Feeling a headache about to happen, she rested her forehead against her hand as she continued hovering. She quickly realised where she was wrong and plonked her head on the board, moaning loudly in annoyance.

"Three more tries."

"Shut up."

* * *

It was a tense moment. Sakura stared at her Captain without blinking, and likewise, so did he. She massaged her sore arm, barely catching his eyes flicker to her kneading fingers before meeting her gaze. A smile curled onto her lips and with an excited giggle, slapped her chip down on the board, never leaving his eyes.

"Checkmate," she whispered. Byakuya bowed his head. "Yes!" Sakura screamed, shooting up and punching the air in victory. "Yes! Oh my, God, yes! I beat him!"

Her Captain humbly started to pack away the shougi board, ignoring her cheering – if anything, his lips twitched in amusement.

"Yes, yes, yes!" she continued chanting.

Byakuya rose and whipped off the little grass sticking to his knees. "Sakura. Shikai training."

Her arms dropped from the air like lead and a disgruntled look fixed on her face as she glared at her Captain. "Geez, don't let a girl celebrate?"

"Not when she still has a-ways to go," he countered, earning a pout from the rosette who crossed her arms and tried to burn him into the ground with her glare.

"What about my question? Don't I get to ask you one?" she asked coyly, tapping the tip of her shoes on the grass where she stood.

Byakuya dropped the shougi board by his belongings and closed his eyes like he was cursing the fact that she still remembered that. Shooing away imaginary lint on his clothes, he nodded at her to continue. A grin broke out instantly on her face.

"Oh goodie," Sakura almost squealed, skipping up to him.

What to ask? There were a lot of things she wanted to know, and all of them were clogging the exit so none of them could be said. A frown marred her face as she tried to think. What did she want to know the most? She trusted him to answer truthfully, so she could ask almost anything she wanted. But only one question floated in her head; one that she found herself pondering ever since they talked about it.

"Captain Kuchiki?"

"Hm?" He raised an eyebrow at the long wait.

She inhaled. "Do you love your sister, Rukia Kuchiki?"

Sakura saw his eyes widen a for a fraction of a second. Her throat went dry the longer he didn't answer, and she found herself worrying if that was way too personal to ask when she noticed his eyes darting around a little like he too was wondering the answer.

"If you don't—" she started, but his hard gaze snapped back to her and she snapped her mouth closed. "Look, never mind. I'll ask another question. Like—like bunnies! Do you like—"

"I do," he quickly answered, stepping back from her. "But… some things are just not easy." And he turned and strode away from her so fast that it seemed like he melted into the shrubs around them.

Sakura was left behind, staring after him, wondering if he had just answered her first question or anticipated her next and responded with his opinion. If that was so, it was odd, but…

She blinked. "What did he mean by 'some things are just not easy'?"

* * *

He was shocked that he had said that. What made him admit such a personal thing? Right. That was why. Because he was a man of his word and Sakura did defeat him in shougi (at long last) so she deserved a little something. It just settled uncomfortably in his stomach what the question was.

Did he love Rukia Kuchiki?

He knew why Sakura asked him that. He dismissed his younger sister with ease, admitting to not having a huge care about her training or offering to train her because he knew that she was more than capable to do such things by herself. She also had her own Captain who was meant to guide her. He, Byakuya, was Sakura's. That was all there was to it, but Sakura felt there was more.

…was there?

Sakura… she was inquisitive about him, this he could sense (not that it was hard to guess), and it oddly worried him. She compared him to Sasuke Uchiha, a traitor, and at first he was affronted by such a thing because he was loyal to the promises he made, but gradually, as she started to explain her life a little more, he admitted that he understood it from her point of view – and why she had such strong determination to know everything about him.

So what was he going to do? Would he let her uncover things about him? Should he?

He was a private man. A very private man. He wasn't going to let just anybody in.

* * *

Sakura lay panting on the grass, her whole body aching like she was on fire. The closed-over blisters on her hands created from weeks and weeks of handling her weapon were once again torn open, making them sting like hell as she gripped her Zanpakutō. Growling, Sakura glared at her Captain standing feet away from her, his weapon pointed directly at her at the ready, the tip winking in the bright sunlight.

She growled and forced her limbs to let her stand but it was a futile effort as she quickly collapsed to the ground, moaning. She listened as he approached her, his footsteps steady on the fresh grass and dirt.

"Are you in pain?" he asked her.

Sakura snapped her eyes up to him, her fringe flipping about her forehead as her glare become fierier. She inhaled sharply, before closing her eyes in resignation. "Oh, fine, yes! I'm in pain!"

"Good."

The rosette blinked in surprise at his almost friendly – relieved – tone. "Huh?" she breathed.

"You've pushed yourself to the limit, and exceeded it. This was what I was waiting for; that's why I asked, all those times. Your strength depended entirely on you," he explained.

Her jaw drooped as she sunk in his words, but then she released a small, "Oh."

"Now."

Sakura heard him slide his Zanpakutō into its sheathe and she groaned loudly as she pushed energy into her tired limbs so that she could kneel on the earth. A hand was shoved in her face and she stared at it for a long, hard couple of seconds before tilting her head up at her Captain. It was so weird seeing him reaching down to help her up, but she wasn't about to skip on the chance.

A smile met her lips before she gripped his hand, holding it tightly so that he couldn't pull out even if he wanted to.

"'Now' what?" she asked.

"Let's go home."

And he pulled her to her feet.

* * *

"Kiba, Kiba," Tenten protested, stamping a finger against a picture of a smile that had a '1' drawn on the bottom left corner. "Are you sure this will work?"

The Inuzuka spread his arms and shrugged, holding a pile in his hand. "Got any better ideas? Happiness is somehow much harder to explain to Sai than sadness. I doubt Sakura would have had a better idea." He placed another picture down in front of the dark-haired artist who was staring at each of the smiling pictures one by one. A piece of paper was in front of him with a pencil.

Tenten smirked, nudging Ikkaku on her left who was snickering. "Why are you laughing?"

He snorted to smother his laughter, managing to erase his smirk as Kiba sent him a devilish glare, but it didn't last for long. "Just-just Kiba—" He snorted again, "—teaching. Amuses me." He promptly fell against Yumichika laughing, who was leaning against the table and looking at the pictures with interest, a coy smile on his face.

Kiba slapped the bald-headed man over the head with the final picture before slamming it on the table. "Sai. Look at these pictures. Which ones convey happiness, and which ones don't? If they don't, what do you think they show? Begin, now."

The artist started scribbling right away, a slight frown on his forehead as he tried concentrating. Ikkaku sniggered again. "It's like school all over again."

"Hush. He's concentrating," Tenten berated, watching Sai closely. She winced when he put a wrong answer down, but then grinned when he erased it and wrote something else.

Yumichika stretched his arms like a cat, groaning. "Speaking of the lovely pink-haired shini-nin, isn't she meant to be coming home today?"

* * *

Ino's jaw dropped. "Oh my, God!" she screamed, shooting from the shadows of a nearby alley way, where she had been walking with Tenten, Kiba and Sai, to a worn-out rosette just coming through the gates. Sakura was followed by her Captain, but Ino ignored the towering man in favour of hugging the stuffing out of her. "So good to see you again, Bill-board Brow!"

Sakura choked, feeling her limbs going numb.

"But damn, girl, when was the last time you had a bath?" Ino asked, scrunching up her nose as she stepped back and stared at the panting pinkette. "With soap and other yummy scents?" she added.

Byakuya elevated an amused eyebrow, his lips quirking – Ino noticed, losing her smile to be in silent awe – before striding his way to a new group of shinigami coming through.

"Hello, Ino," Sakura rasped, utterly surprised by the greeting. She winced when she spotted Tenten running like Ino had, but sighed in relief when the brunette just skidded to a halt and punched her shoulder in greeting. Sakura still cringed, because she happened to score on a bunch of knotted muscles. "Hello, Tenten," she groaned.

Ino laughed at her misery while the bun-haired brunette circled their friend slowly, inspecting her. "Geez, Sakura. Did he put you through hell and back?" she asked, picking at some of Sakura's pink strands in her plait.

"Something like that," she grumbled. "Hello, Kiba, Sai."

The two boys finally reached the girls, and Sakura blinked and tilted her head up at what could have possibly cast such a big shadow over her. She gazed up at the towering figure of her friend, wincing as the afternoon sun shone in her eyes from behind his shaggy-haired outline.

Eye lids fluttering rapidly and dropping her head back down, she asked, "I have only been gone for six months, right?"

Sai stared. "Yes?"

"What happened to Kiba?"

"What do you mean what happened to Kiba? He's exactly the same," Tenten said, crossing her arms and glancing between the larger male and Sakura who were having some sort of a staring contest.

"But-but," she stuttered, gesturing to his entire being. "You're massive," she stated. Lifting herself to the tips of her toes, she measured his height to hers. Kiba watched in amusement as she sucked in her cheek. "I swear it. You've shot up another head – and another Ino in width."

The blonde growled. "Will people please stop using me as a measurement?" she scowled, more to herself than anyone else.

Sai gazed his tutor up and down. "He looks the same, Sakura."

The rosette stared at them, deadpanned. "You guys have been with him almost every single day," she pointed out, then gestured to herself. "I've been away six months. I _think_ I'd be able to tell."

Someone giggled, but it was a much higher pitch. "Maybe we should start measuring you everyday now, Kiba." Hinata suddenly appeared with Neji by her side. Sakura examined them, glad that at least they looked a little more normal. Well, they were a bit taller, but they had grown the appropriate amount of inches for a teenager; unlike the Inuzuka.

Both Hyuuga nodded in greeting to Sakura, who appreciated it and smiled in return.

Kiba scowled. "Yeah, Hinata. We can start doing that when you tell me who your boyfriend is," he countered with a restrained grimace.

Ino and Tenten snorted to hold back their laughter, and Neji smirked. "You still haven't figured it out?"

"Hey—" Kiba started.

He was drowned out instantly by Sakura who screamed, "Boyfriend?" She clung to the mousy Hyuuga and shouted in her face, "Who is he?"

Kiba visibly expressed interest in the answer and stared intently at his old time friend, waiting. Ino leaned to the side towards Tenten, muttering, "Is she happy, jealous or angry?" to the brunette through sealed lips.

"All three?" she guessed back just as quietly.

Meanwhile, Sakura was shaking the wits out of Hinata, demanding to know the identity of her new man with Kiba cheering her on silently in the background. Neji and Sai and were talking in whispers, but it was only when it looked like Hinata was about to get her arms torn out from their sockets – an exaggeration – the male Hyuuga dropped a hand on the rosette's shoulder and peeled her back.

Sakura stumbled back in surprise, gazing up at him. "But I want to know who it is," she complained.

Neji gave her a crooked smile – Hinata was massaging her shoulders in the background, grinning. "You'll find out soon enough," he told her. Kiba snorted in discontentment at being purposefully left out of the loop, and he turned to Sai to ask if he knew who it was; he nodded. Kiba was unhappy. "But right now, you've just come home, you're covered in scratches and blisters, you probably would want a massage for those sore muscles, and frankly, Sakura, you need a proper bath."

Her face dropped as the rest of her friends laughed at her misfortune. "Gee, Neji. I thought you were the type of person who broke it gently."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "No, I break it bluntly."

"Sakura. I'll let you in on the latest news from the _Seireitei Communication_ while I give you a massage," Ino suggested. "I'm an expert."

The rosette raised an incredulous eyebrow. "In six months? I'm nervous."

"Keep talking like that and I'll take you out and kick your butt."

Sakura snorted. "Yeah, right. I didn't just leave for six months to pick flowers."

"And we haven't been sitting on our haunches either," Tenten jotted in, smiling. "In fact, Kiba and Neji have had rumours going on about them about how they're Captain material if they keep up their training."

The rosette's eyes popped and her jaw dropped. "Seriously? That's great! Kiba! I demand to fight you sometime!"

The Inuzuka nodded and answered with a gruff chuckle that gave Sakura the shivers. Well, he did look kinda big – an understatement of the year for a nearing sixteen year old – but she thought that at least she'd have a chance against him. The Hyuuga, however…

"Am I not good enough, Sakura?" Neji mock-complained.

"The fact that you're blind makes me fear you," she admitted. She may have imagined it but Neji's smile seemed to stretch a little more and he released an eerie chuckle that belonged better with a criminal mastermind. She sighed. "But I digress. You're right. I stink," Sakura grumbled, staggering along with her friends back to the Seireitei.

Sai moved up beside her. "I've been practicing while you've been gone," he told her casually. Sakura blinked in confusion.

* * *

"Head-Captain!" Hitsugaya called, storming through the First Division with a wad of paper crinkled in his tight grip. Anger was etched on his face as he strode down the wooden balconies, glancing over other members he saw.

"He's in the garden," a male shinigami told him shyly, gesturing in the right direction. The Ice Captain was basically like dust he moved so fast. Whispers sprouted from here and there, wondering what had gotten the prodigy so riled up that he was practically shouting for the Head-Captain. Some began to follow him, overcome with curiosity, but a single glare over his shoulder sent them running like mice.

Yamamoto was staring intently in Hitsugaya's direction as soon as the boy breached the garden, sandals clapping against the cobblestone path. He stopped short, gave a quick bow to the Head-Captain and his Lieutenant before walking up to him stiffly again – Chōjirō tensed but a gesture by his Captain calmed him instantly. Yamamoto ran a hand down his long beard and resealed his fingers around the bulb of his cane.

"Yes, Captain Hitsugaya? What is so important that calls for you to come storming through?" he taunted; whether he was amused or not, Hitsugaya couldn't tell.

"Again, I am very sorry, Head-Captain, but this paper…" He sighed, a groan tossed in as he brandished the crinkle papers to the elderly man. "You have to have read this first for it to come to me."

Yamamoto paused before nodding. He waved his Lieutenant away and gestured for Hitsugaya to walk with him through the garden.

"Head-Captain, are you sure?" Chōjirō asked, eyeing the angry look in the prodigy's taut facial features.

The old man chuckled, which soon shifted into light coughing. "It is alright, Lieutenant. I am more than capable. But this is a private matter," he informed him, and with a hesitant nod, the moustached man stepped back out of the garden. "Now. What did you want to tell me, Captain Hitsugaya?"

"We know for a fact now that the Hyuuga clan is up to something. Both Hyuuga residing here are in an agreement that their Clan's Elders are planning to overthrow Miss Hyuuga's father for another to take the position as Head of the Clan. Neji Hyuuga's renouncement is the first step." He gestured to the papers. "And this is the second."

Yamamoto nodded slowly, listening in. "Not allowing Neji Hyuuga the chance to redeem himself as a member of the Hyuuga clan. No trial," he quoted. "I spoke briefly with Lady Hokage. She is certainly not happy, but is influenced by the council to not interfere with a clan's own decisions, unless it affects the rest of Konoha. Disowning one child, unfortunately, does not."

"I understand that, sir."

"I was willing to allow both Hyuuga to return to Konoha for attaining Neji's position once more, and to create some sort of authority to keep her father at the Head, but if the Hyuuga clan will not allow a trial, then there is no point, no?"

"They're just afraid. Miss Hyuuga was the heiress before she died, and she told me of a way in," Hitsugaya explained. They passed bright green shrubs dotted with dazzling coloured flowers that varied from bush to bush. Trees hung over head, casting clear-cut but thin shadows against the stone they walked on.

He could hear the sound of running water nearby, and imagined a small pond with several koi swimming in it.

Yamamoto cast his eyes at the white-haired youth in interest. "Is that so? And what would Miss Hyuuga have now that could benefit her cousin?"

"Every Hyuuga member writes down one last wish that the clan has to bestow upon their death," Toshiro started, straightening out a dog-eared corner of his papers. "Hinata Hyuuga had not written hers when she was killed. And since she very much has the vocals for it now, she can tell it to them. What's better is that she was the future heiress. A clan cannot so easily ignore such a rank, even after death."

He chose to leave out the fact that Hinata was also risking her place in the Hyuuga clan's history books as a ninja dying bravely in battle. He didn't know if it would affect Yamamoto's decision any less, but he'd prefer for it to be unsaid.

The elder man contemplated the younger's boy's words, his lips tightened behind his white moustache and beard. "This is very well possible. They have been made aware that she lives, but do not know about her involvement in this predicament, yes?" Hitsugaya nodded. "Then it may yet work."

"Thank you, Head-Captain."

"You, and the two Hyuuga, still have permission to return to Konoha for a maximum of two weeks. Let us hope that Neji Hyuuga will keep his name, but if not, you must return back here." Yamamoto's voice was hoarse as he spoke, like the air in his lungs was being stretched so thin yet he still wanted to finish his sentence.

"Of course," Hitsugaya agreed, bowing his head to his superior. "I will inform them now. Thank you for approving the passage – and the plan."

"Captain Hitsugaya."

"Yes?"

"Don't get your hopes up," he warned. Hitsugaya started, staring up at Yamamoto in confusion, but had no other chance to say anything when the Head-Captain suddenly spotted something, pointed it at it and said, "Ahh, my new tree is blooming," and walked away.

Toshiro watched him leave and then glanced at the papers he held that harboured the news of the recent problem. Wrinkling his brow into a frustrated frown, the white-haired prodigy stalked his way out of the garden, intent on finding both Hyuuga.

* * *

The first few weeks after Sakura had been home was drowned with all the shini-nin plus any other friends she had (like Renji, admittedly) filling her in on anything that she missed while away. She had missed so much, she realised, when they started continuously bringing up something new whenever they thought of it. She started to wonder if Byakuya knew what was going to happen and purposefully made it so that she'd miss all of it.

The meanie.

Aside from that, Sakura had finally learned what Sai had been talking about after she had arrived in Soul Society, before Ino had whipped her away for a bath. Kiba had been tutoring the artist in 'Humanity' lessons, as everyone called them, which totally made sense why he was trying to guess all of her emotions when she so much as blinked. Kiba was also asking if she was planning on taking over by any chance, but she had other things to do under her belt, and she promptly bestowed several compliments on the by-then glowing Kiba so that he'd stick with it for a little longer.

Learning who Hinata's boyfriend somehow brought out the inner child within Sakura, and she squealed almost every time she saw the female Hyuuga, but went silent in absolute awe whenever she saw the two together when she was spying on them with Tenten and Ino. The former would roll her eyes and insist that she was hanging out with them doing such stuff because she had nothing better to do, but the long-time friends knew better.

Stored away in Sakura's mental book of 'The Cutest Things of all Time' was when she witnessed a swift kiss between the two lovers. True, Tenten and Ino had said that seeing them peck each other on the cheek was almost a common occurrence, but when Sakura had seen it the first time, Hinata was so adorable that the rosette feared her cheeks would fall off from smiling too much.

Hisagi must have been teasing her or something, because Hinata had become flustered, and she turned away for a second before kissing him on the cheek so fast that Sakura almost missed it. She then power-walked forward, looking like her head was replaced by a tomato adorning a black wig, with a secretly grinning Hisagi behind her.

Aww, man, Sakura was jealous.

Speaking of which, Hinata, Neji and Captain Hitsugaya had left for Konoha for two weeks. Again, Sakura was jealous, but she wished she at least knew why they were going. None of the shini-nin knew, and neither did Lieutenant Matsumoto, who they thought knew everything there was to know about her Captain's doings. What was weird was that they returned to Soul Society four days later, looking very much disgruntled.

Sakura, herself, didn't spill much about her time outside of Soul Society to the remaining shini-nin, mainly because there wasn't much to be said – nor was their business.

Captain Kuchiki had allowed her some time off initially but warned her that if her performance level was any lower then she was going to get it ten times harder than before, so Sakura was insistent about training almost every day to avoid that – a lot of times with the girls. Even if they did get along somewhat during the six months, it didn't mean he was any less scary. After those few weeks, though, Sakura learned that she was on her own.

Byakuya had told her that she was her own person and was more than ready to take hold of her own life and run it by herself. Surprised by these words? Yes, Sakura was, but her joy was momentarily muffed when he told her that he'd test her occasionally just to make sure she was not lacking.

Party-pooper.

Still, she undeniably enjoyed the opportunity to do things by herself, when she wanted. It was different from before, even from Konoha. In Konoha she was a genin, and if she ever made it to chuunin before she left, then perhaps she would have understood what it felt like to just be your own master. Sakura truly felt herself growing in more ways than just strength.

Life continued this way for months, then months to a year. For three years in total they had lived in Soul Society. What a milestone, but it was one they didn't really notice quickly enough. It was home, but slowly the shini-nin started to realise something, and, curious, they'd look at the others, wondering if they were thinking the same thing too.

What about Konoha?

They left to study the only arts that could kill the hollows, but when were they going to get back? Discussing this with each other, they learned that almost all of them were left to their own devices, save for Kiba, who they all knew had Akamaru as his Zanpakutō and was involved in some sort of to-do. A few of them had, though, taken up extra training 'classes', such as Ino joining a herbalist sort of group and Sai and Hinata joining in on the Fourth Division's Healing groups, which occasionally led to some demonstrations at the Shinigami School.

They had brewed a reputation unintentionally. And they didn't talk about it, but they didn't know what to do, what to think about this problem.

The two Hyuuga with Captain Hitsugaya, and this time Lieutenant Matsumoto, left to Konoha again. Two days later, something unexpected happened. All remaining shini-nin (and select Captains) were ordered to report to Head-Captain Yamamoto in the early morning of June 16th. Each of the shini-nin were nervous, but that was smothered by undeniable curiosity. What would he have to say to them? They knew they were about to find out.

The Head-Captain's meeting room looked the same as it had when they were last standing in it: the day they came to Soul Society. Three years ago and the dark wood was still so brightly polished and smooth that Sakura felt the urge to lie down on it and stretch. The paper walls were a bright white, with bamboo stalks painted on in black near the floor, and arching in all different directions.

"Good morning," the aging man greeted, his voice muffled by his white hair. He was seated in a large stone chair situated at the back, his cane gripped in his withering hands.

The shini-nin bowed in greeting (as did the Captains), standing side by side in the middle of the meeting room, all signs of childishness gone from their faces. Whatever this big honcho wanted with them, it had to be big. It couldn't be another Evaluation, as the last one was communicated through their Captains. Then again, since they were on their own… it was possible.

"There is a request," he began, eyes scoping over each of the shini-nin and Captain's present. He looked as though he was trying to decide something. "A mission that requires you to return to Konoha."

"Wh-What? Seriously?" Kiba asked, excitement shining in his eyes. On his back, Akamaru shuddered likewise. He knew, too, that the rest of the shini-nin looked equally interested – and relieved. It was like their thoughts were answered. They glanced at each other with wide-eyes, listening eagerly for what sort of mission entailed their original home. "I haven't even seen Konoha since, well—"

"—since we left," Tenten finished.

A burst of anxiety occurred in Sakura's stomach. She'd be seeing everyone again; Kakashi, Naruto, everyone. Just the thought of them made her feel so homesick she felt like throwing up. The low buzz of chattering amongst the shini-nin and few Captains was easy to ignore as her mind whizzed down memory lane.

Yamamoto raised a hand for silence which was given almost instantly. "Lady Hokage has sent me the mission requirements and details. Shini-nin—" Gin looked pleased that his term for the former ninja was actually being used in formal meetings, "—do you know of one Lord Kazekage? His full name Gaara no Sabaku?"

Someone gasped, while the rest were left speechless. Kiba was the first to talk. "Gaara? Seriously? You have got to be kidding!" he exclaimed, examining the rest of the groups' expressions for anything – _anything_ – that told him that they agreed the thought was just as ridiculous. "How the hell did he get that spot? I thought the Sand village hated him?"

"I'm sure we'll find out soon enough," Tenten mumbled. "Yes, we do know of him, Head-Captain Yamamoto."

"He's been captured by a group called the Akatsuki."

Again, the shini-nin went quiet. They weren't spectacular friends with the red-head or his siblings, but he had somewhat redeemed himself by assisting the rescue squad that was tailing Sasuke. Plus, he was one of the reasons why the Sand Village council had decided to initiate an alliance with Konoha.

He was strong the last time they had seen, whooping good butt with his opponents in both the Chuunin's Exam and against the Sound nin Kimimaro. By now… he just had to be less psychotic, especially if Suna villagers accepted him as their leader.

Sakura had seen him up close. It wasn't for long before she was knocked unconscious, but he was practically oozing with self-loathing, whether he said he loved himself and only himself or not. Kazekage was just perfect for him.

The Akatsuki, however. The name was foreign to their tongues as they mouthed it. Clearly it was some criminal group in the ninja regions, and obviously they meant big business if they were able to infiltrate Sand and capture Gaara, who, in their first meeting, had been like looking the devil in the eyes. This was not good news.

"Akatsuki?" Ino asked out loud, the only of all of them to do so. "That name doesn't ring a bell to me. You?" The others shook their heads, save for Sai, whose eyes were somehow a shade darker as if he was in deep concentration.

"There is no time to waste," Yamamoto stated so firmly that a chill of fear zipped through the shini-nin's body. "Your mission is to assist in the rescue of the Kazekage. There will be a Team from Konoha attending as well, so chances are that you will be meeting them at some point."

Sakura felt all feeling in her body suddenly drop to the floor. Meeting someone from Konoha? Oh. Wow. The thought was mindboggling.

"Head-Captain."

"Yes, Soi Fon?"

She stepped forward, eyebrows drawn. "Sai was about to go through an Exam soon. I'd prefer if he did not miss it."

"Trying to get ahead, Captain?" Ichimaru asked, tapping his finger against the end of his Zanpakutō.

The dark-haired female glared at the man. "That is not it," she hissed.

A loud thump called for everyone's attention to the Head-Captain; his staff still quivered with the might put into it when he hit the floor. "That is fine. Sai. You will remain here in Soul Society. If there are any other objections about whether a shini-nin can go or not, speak quickly."

Sai looked positively annoyed about the notion, and a dark look flashed across his face as he narrowed his eyes at his Captain. No one noticed it, but one.

"Kiba cannot," Kurotsuchi announced, a grin so wide on his face that his back teeth were bared. Yamamoto exhaled, leaning back in his seat as the boy whirled around prepared to shoot down the idea.

"I understand," the Head-Captain said, turning all heads to him.

Kiba stopped, his mouth open wide to yell some few choice words at the mad scientist. Every muscle tensed as he turned around again and sent one scathing glare at his Captain that made all shini-nin cringe as his pressure crushed down on them. It was slight compared to others, showing that he was truly holding in his anger.

There was a rippling murmur amongst the Captains that the boy would dare suggest hostility at Yamamoto.

"Please, Captain," he begged, fangs bared. "I must go. It's Konoha."

"You will have the chance to leave after the initial group has left, but you are needed here for something," Yamamoto explained, his brow wrinkled like tiny dunes on a beach. "Don't talk back," he added harshly upon sensing the boy's intention to do just that. Kiba snapped his mouth closed, his teeth making an audible crunch. "Captains Kuchiki, Unohana and Ichimaru will attend. You will meet Captain Hitsugaya and Hinata and Neji Hyuuga when you arrive in Konoha, and from there, head out; they have the rest of the details. Captain Unohana, you will take Ino with you straight to Suna. A young boy there is sick and Lady Hokage cannot shirk her duties. You will leave immediately. That will be all."

Everybody burst into reaction instantly, with some lingering for a brief second to talk to others; Kiba was stamping his way to Captain Kurotsuchi with steam coming out of his ears, and Sai was leaving quietly with his superior.

_Konoha,_ Sakura thought, watching the Inuzuka argue heatedly with his beaming scientist. _Oh boy. _She glanced at Captain Ichimaru, a shiver shooting down her spine. _And _he's_ coming along, too._

"Sakura!" Ino called, waving her over. The rosette robotically approached her, still surprised by her new mission. "Konoha, Sakura! _Konoha_!"

Yes. Konoha.

_Home, sweet… home?_

* * *

_I dislike this chapter, but mainly only because it gave me such a rough time. -_- _

_Anyway, thank you to everyone so far for reviewing! I posted at a pretty bad time last time because this site went on the fritz, but blah. I don't normally write by reviews, but I really wanted to reach 300 and, well... *cries* Now it's gone well over! Thank you!_

_I'd like to thank one reviewer who has her PM feature turned off but has left me really nice reviews with warm words. :D Thanks to __**Memoires of a Green Eye**__. Also thanks to __**Sagittarius1212**__ for going through my story and reviewing most of the chapters. Unexpected but absolutely thankful! _

_I had a huge urge to cut this in half because it was so long but ye Gods! I couldn't wait to start the new arc, which is next chapter! It's __SHIPPUDEN TIME__! *dances*_


	20. Return To The World Of Ninja

—**CHAPTER TWENTY—  
**_Return To The World Of Ninja_

* * *

"Run! Run! It's coming!"

Tsunade sighed, slamming her hand against the wall next to the cell door and shouting, "Enough!"

The patient inside fell silent, his face tight due to withheld anger, but his dark eyes glowered with said emotion, making the Hokage tilt her head in partial curiosity. The five o'clock shadow around his strong jaw and above his lips darkened his entire persona, accompanied by the menacing shadows the cell created that bathed his hunched form.

He growled, storming up to the door and slamming his fists against it so hard the door shuddered. "It's the end!" he screamed, voice echoing down the narrow hallway. Nurses and doctors tried not to give him the attention, but several couldn't help but look in curiosity. "The end is coming!"

Tsunade groaned in frustration. "Shizune!"

"Yes, Milady!" The black-garbed woman stood unmoving beside the voluptuous blonde, and at the same time tried not to glance in the patient's direction in case he took it as some sort of encouragement to continue screaming his lungs out.

"Add a guard to this patient," she ordered, scowling at the roguish man who was staring intently at her assistant. "And if he disrupts any of the other patients, sedate him. Tell this to the rest of the hospital staff."

"Right away, Milady." Shizune bowed, cast one look at the growling patient, then moved away down the patrolled corridor.

"It's coming," he gurgled, nails screeching over the metal door he was stuck behind. "If you want to live, you need to act now!"

Annoyance flashed in Tsunade's eyes. "Kazuka!"

A nearby nurse shot straight to attention, her round glasses falling from her eyes which she haphazardly pushed back into place. She brushed a stray black bang from her vision and tucked it behind her ear, reaching low to fix the hem of her shirt. "Yes, Lady Hokage?"

The taller, blonde woman stalked towards the nurse, who looked ten times more frazzled by the impending doom look in Tsunde's honey coloured eyes. The mental patient screamed again in the background, insisting that the end was near and that all those who wished to live should run now.

"Tell me everything about that mental patient," Tsunade demanded, brow wrinkled horribly.

Kazuka's eyes darted to her clipboards, and she surfed through the papers until she stopped at one. "His-His name is Yochiro Kai. Uh, he's a—well, _was_—a recently submitted Konoha ninja. His previous hometown was a village on the outskirts of Fire, and-and he came here two days ago."

Tsunade nodded. "I recognise the papers on the name when I allowed it. But what the heck happened?"

"Uh—um, he w-was on a patrol when his group encountered a hollow. Shinigami we-were a little late, but he came back spewing about—"

"—the end of the world." Tsunade nodded, groaning and massaging her temples. "He's going to distract the other mental patients if he continues. Just keep an eye on him; a close one."

"Of course, Lady Hokage!"

She acknowledged Kazuka with a nod of her head before walking by her for the exit, fists clenched tightly.

"The end is coming!"

She gritted her teeth until they hurt, and when she reached the exit, she slammed the door loudly behind her that it trembled. "They should be here soon," she muttered.

* * *

"_She is shinigami, not a ninja. Her wish is invalid."_

Neji closed his eyes tightly behind his bandages, trying to get rid of that moment from his mind. But it was difficult. He hadn't been in the Hyuuga manor for three years, and he hadn't been allowed on the grounds the last time he returned to Konoha, but, God… it hadn't changed much.

The room he, Hinata and Captain Hitsugaya had been seated in was filled with cleansing incense, and with his sensitive senses, it created an itch in his nose. He also had felt a little hot and sweaty in his shinigami robes, and wasn't sure if it was because the room was hot (Konoha was going through a warm autumn) or because he was nervous – or both.

That smell and atmosphere was something that he wondered would always stay with him, because he had a feeling that…

"Neji! They're coming!" Hinata called, breaking him out of his trance.

He snapped his head up in her direction, sensing both her and Captain Hitsugaya waiting by a denser cluster of trees. The tear was right next to it, invisible to the naked eye until someone was coming through. For him, however, he could feel the rippling of the energy, and could gauge how much longer one would be when coming through.

He dropped his hands from his sleeves and approached the two.

Hinata looked as though she has grown five years older in the past few days. Her long dark hair was curled up into a bun-pony-tail, her fringe framing her slightly more pointed face. Hitsugaya was standing uneasily. Neji had a feeling that what was decided by the Hyuuga Elders was something that he wasn't happy with.

As of yet, no answer was given, but Neji knew what was going to happen anyway.

That thought was lost for the moment, as he could feel the portal beginning to open. A tear broke the still atmosphere, and grew wider to reveal several figures ranging in height. Neji knew who had joined them on their task straight away.

And so the mission began.

* * *

Dark. Damp. Dead.

But he was long since used to it.

A sad thought, really, that he could be surrounded by such an empty environment and atmosphere and still be so content – if anything, he was more than. Growing up in Orochimaru's hideout for the last three years had such an effect.

And Sasuke wasn't really fussed.

The training was more than worth it. He felt stronger than he had ever felt before, and it was all because of a single decision; to leave Konoha. He didn't dwell on what the consequences of this action might be, but on the benefits, and they were oh so good.

The young Uchiha slipped a bracer onto his left arm, stretching it out and flexing his fingers as it fit into place. He repeated the same with his right, then tied his katana to his purple, weaved belt.

"You're certainly taking your time this morning," a light voice commented from the shadows, its tone amused.

Sasuke grunted in dismissal of Kabuto standing in the doorway of his room. The scientist chuckled, fixing his glasses that flashed in the dull light from the wall-flames.

"At least your eloquence hasn't changed."

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked gruffly, turning to the silver-haired scientist.

Kabuto crossed his arms and leaned against the frame of the stone archway. "Akatsuki is on the move."

Sasuke's eyes flashed red and Kabuto snickered.

"Yeah, I thought that would attract your attention," he said gleefully. "But that's not the most interesting part – although I'm sure you'd beg to differ. A team of people, similar to the ones scouted patrolling Konoha, is moving swiftly towards the Akatsuki's presumed location of their base."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Lord Orochimaru wants you to investigate them. He doesn't like being in the dark with what Konoha is planning with these people, _and_ why they were almost brought to ruin but weren't – and not by his own hand."

Sasuke's lips thinned. "Why me?"

Kabuto shrugged. "Maybe you'll find something of interest."

"Hn," the Uchiha huffed, shoving passed the silver-head who tutted at his bad manners.

Sasuke didn't care; the only sound he was making was the sound of his shoes on the concrete, crescent-patterned floor as he made for the exit of the long tunnels. He didn't want to do this, and he knew that if he did find any information that his 'teacher' would put off his training for that little bit longer.

This Sasuke wasn't happy about.

"I'll do what Orochimaru wants, but if I find myself wasting my time, he'll have to repay me."

Kabuto chuckled, a snake-like smile worming onto his lips. "Of course."

* * *

Running under the soft heat of the sun and trees brought back memories for all of them. The brief sight of Konoha in the distance from where they landed outside its walls had sent spirals of enthusiasm throughout their bodies, and so they were a mite disappointed when they couldn't even enter the village.

Hitsugaya had stressed that they had to leave immediately, and so Sakura, Ino and Tenten found themselves sending forlorn looks back at their old home. Now they were there, it was difficult to stop wondering how much everything had changed in the three years.

Extracting the information out from the two Hyuuga was a little difficult. Neji, though, had willingly revealed that they had added the current Hokage's face to the stone mountain looming over the town, and that the village was back to the way it was.

When the topic of old friends came up, then the two shut up as a clam, making the three females suspicious. Tenten had casually voiced her concern about why the two were returning to Konoha in the first place, spawning a slight flinch from both Hyuuga. Still, they didn't budge, especially after Captain Hitsugaya had turned around and glared at them.

After that, Sakura, Ino and Tenten were in fervent whispers about _why _he glared at them.

The second hour passed quickly as the large group of shinigami wore on, the shadows of the trees growing thick around them. Sakura partly wondered who was going to escort Ino, Captain Unohana and Kuchiki (who she found out was meant to join them) to Suna, because it had to be someone who knew they layout of the land.

Tension suddenly rose in the group, and Captain Kuchiki broke apart from it, disappearing into the throes of trees around them. Sakura stumbled for a brief second, wondering what the heck was going on, but Hitsugaya didn't say a word. She glanced at Ino beside her, who was frowning as well, completely confused.

"Why did…?" she drew out. Sakura shrugged.

* * *

_Dammit,_ Sasuke cursed.

He sped through the trees like lightning, teeth clenched in severe frustration at having been sensed before he had the chance of laying eyes on who was there. He had counted nine people in the group, coated in energy he wasn't exactly familiar with. He had managed to creep up pretty close and stay in speed with them but...

_His speed is good,_ he inwardly complimented, hovering a hand over his katana just in case. His fingers flexed. _They all have good senses to feel me coming before I could even see them. And what's more… I recognised a faint chakra signature. Several, in fact._

_It seems Sakura hasn't improved over the years,_ he thought with sick humour. He frowned. _But this guy… he's good._

He was. Whoever he was, he was able to keep a constant speed behind Sasuke the longer the Uchiha ran on, and yet he couldn't place the sound of his exact footfalls. That unnerved him.

Then he was gone.

Sasuke faulted.

He pressed himself against the trunk of tree just milliseconds before a blade was swung down where he was once standing. Air brushed his body, along with a spray of tiny splinters as the blade sliced through the branch.

Without skipping a beat, Sasuke kicked at his fast foe, only to find a hand gripping his foot and the blade swinging up from behind. Tsking, the Uchiha withdrew his katana.

_Twang!_

He faulted at the sudden strength of the attack and almost felt himself lose his balance. His grip on his katana was slightly weak by the rush, and he felt it starting to inch closer to his body.

Growling, Sasuke embedded the tip of his katana into the trunk behind him and used it and the weight of his planted leg to cut through the grip his enemy had on his foot by jumping up.

It worked.

He had let go, and before the Uchiha could fully prepare for a counterattack, his weapon screeched up the length of Sasuke's katana and hooked on the thin handle, catching it, ripping it from his grasp and flinging it away.

Sasuke cursed as he landed back on the trunk, just in time to see his katana go falling to the earth, haphazardly cutting tiny twigs and leaves. He was quickly thinking of a way to get of the situation when the tip of his enemy's blade was suddenly pointed at his chin, a hair away from contact.

He paused, forehead wrinkled into a deep frown as he glared at his opponent and for the first time seeing him. Long black locks spooled about a thick neck, fringe strands partially clipped back from his long, aristocratic face. His onyx eyes sparked familiarity in Sasuke instantly.

"You have a good hold of your katana," the stranger stated.

_He looks like he could be an Uchiha_, Sasuke thought bitterly.

"Hmph."

The tip of the long katana – Sasuke noticed, and that it was a very finely crafted item, like that from a clan – receded back a little more.

"You must be Sasuke Uchiha," he drawled.

A smirk flickered over his lips. "Am honoured."

His foe's eyes narrowed that little bit more, and he tilted his head inquisitively, inspecting.

"You know my name," Sasuke said. "So what is yours?"

"Byakuya Kuchiki," he answered.

_Heh. Even his name sounds sophisticated. _

"You must be from a clan."

Kuchiki's face didn't change. "Why were you spying on us?"

Sasuke's eyes dropped briefly to the tip of his katana, then down at his own weapon far below, resting awkwardly on a large root.

"I was passing through."

"Passing through?" he voiced. "Then why the need to hide your chakra?"

"You could have been anyone; an enemy."

Kuchiki's eyes seemed to darken, and Sasuke matched the feeling. Tension was quickly rising, he could feel it, but he wasn't entirely sure from where. It was like an invisible net was pushing down on him, making it feel as though his skin and bones and hair was being pulled to the ground like they were melting.

This was… very different.

"I am no fool, Sasuke Uchiha," he stated. "And neither are the others."

_I find that hard to believe,_ Sasuke protested.

The tip inched closer again, and the Uchiha's eyes watched it closely.

"Yes. Even. Sakura."

An accusing glare fell onto Sasuke's face instantly, and a burst of adrenaline buzzed through his veins.

"I wonder what sort of nerve I touched there," Kuchiki wondered, straying from his previous monotonous voice. "But this isn't about her. You're a wanted criminal, and I have you in my grasp. So give me one good reason why I shouldn't just kill you?"

The Uchiha smirked wickedly. "You'd have a few angry people on your back, and some of them being from Konoha at that. I don't know who you are or what clan you are from. I don't know what sort of ties you have with Konoha, and frankly, I don't care, either – at least not now – but I know someone there who wouldn't be very happy if I was found dead before he could get his hands on me to do it himself."

"You are referring to Naruto Uzumaki."

"You know him." It wasn't a question.

"How do you know his plans?"

Sasuke snorted, exhaling. "You obviously don't know him personally. The brat follows his promises like it's his lifeline."

"Ahh." Kuchiki stared at him, and Sasuke was wondering whether the man was preparing to smile or not. He didn't need to. He felt chills explode all over his back anyway. "Like the promise to Sakura."

The Uchiha frowned again. "Just how—"

"He'd have to deal. You're a threat to Konoha, and a larger threat than he would be."

"I don't know if that's a compliment or not."

"Neither. An observance. You're an enemy. He's not."

"I wasn't either."

"Driven by different goals."

Sasuke crossed his arms, grinding his teeth together. He half wished Kabuto or Orochimaru would come and get him out of this bind. He felt pathetically weak where he stood. He knew that if he made any sort of gesture to indicate hostility or a chance to escape, his foe wouldn't hesitate to spring forward.

No hand signs; no jutsu. No escape.

"Sakura wouldn't be happy," he eventually said.

"_Sakura_… is none of your concern."

"You're right. I don't give a damn about her. She was a pain in the ass back then, and I doubt that would have changed that much over three years."

"She's the one I've been sharpening this blade with," he said, twisting his weapon slightly so that the sun glinted off of it.

"And that's meant to impress me."

Kuchiki paused. "You really need to learn how to depict ones strength before withdrawing it… _boy_," he said sternly, glowering.

"Don't call me that," he growled stoically.

"Then prove to me other—" He cut himself off, and for a moment Sasuke wondered why before he soon found out.

The trees around them shuddered, leaves falling faster and faster. He checked Kuchiki, saw a glare as he stared in one direction; the direction the source of that strength was coming from. And then he heard him whisper to himself, "So that's what they've been creating."

Sasuke profusely wondered what the hell was going on before he recognised the chakra signature that was once again faint, like Sakura's and the others were. The hairs on the back of his neck stood erect as he felt the strength come closer and closer, the ground rumbling like an empty stomach.

_No way,_ he thought fleetingly.

"Sasuke Uchiha!" a voice yelled. "You _fucking_ bastard!"

Kuchiki jumped back and disappeared. The ex-nin felt his presence move back out of range, but Sasuke was curious. He wanted to see this person again; the one coming towards him. He wanted to see how much he'd grown over the three years, because his strength was just hair-raising.

Literally.

He brushed a hand over the back of his neck and flexed his fingers, preparing himself, a smirk on his face as he switched on his Sharingan.

And then Kiba Inuzuka burst from the foliage.

* * *

_So that's what Head-Captain Yamamoto and Captain Kurotsuchi are up to,_ Byakuya thought, jumping back again onto the thick branch of a tree before dropping to the ground. _His reiatsu is strong. Very strong. It's almost like he's just pure brute strength._

He straightened and sheathed his blade, exhaling smoothly.

_But a fool. It would have been best if hadn't intervened. That way, Sasuke Uchiha would no longer be a threat._

He turned around, gathering his bearings quickly, before taking a step towards the assumed direction.

_It's been several hours already. No wonder the Fool caught up._

A breeze moved by, and he had barely taken a few steps until he stopped completely, the distant sounds of Kiba attacking Sasuke in the background. He could feel the thumps of trees crashing against the ground, and smell the smoke of what he assumed was Sasuke's fire jutsu. But that wasn't what stopped him.

A soft hiss caught his attention instantly, and he slanted his eyes in that direction, capturing a snake curling down from the branches and bushes of leaves. It hung lower near the ground, elevating its lithe upper body, slitted eyes blinking at him.

This snake made his skin crawl.

"My my," a voice slithered. An echoed chuckle followed. "I had sent my dear Sasuke just for a little I-spy, and now he's fighting a big brute." A sharp inhale. "I swear I know that brown-haired boy from somewhere."

"Show yourself," Byakuya demanded, unmoving.

"Oooh," the voice taunted. It merged into a snicker, then a shrilling laugh. "You are so much like Sasuke it isn't funny."

"Then why are you laughing."

The cackling returned. "Oh my. I was wrong. You have a sense of humour. My dear Sasuke could really take lessons from you. I don't think your previous run-in did any good, did it?"

"Enough," Byakuya stated sternly. "What do you want?"

The snake hissed again, shivering its thin tongue. Byakuya watched it drop heavily to the ground and circle around him, but he did not move.

"I'll be honest with you."

He tried to figure out where the voice was coming from. This opponent was good for a ninja, and judging by the presence of the snake, and the Uchiha, he could guess who he was encountering.

A loud boom shook the ground beneath his feet. Kiba was getting even more violent.

"I didn't know what I wanted, until I took a look at you myself, and I must say… I. Am. In_trigued_."

The noble zeroed in on a tree behind him, and he slowly looked over his shoulder to see the snake, its tail quivering, coil up something tall – and it was not a tree. A figure stepped out from the shadows; they chuckled.

Now in light, the snake wrapped around the shoulders of the Snake Sannin Orochimaru, grinning a wicked grin that matched the same one on the man it was resting on. Byakuya saw sinister evil and hate in those yellow eyes leering back at him excitedly, framed by thick, long black hair.

Onyx eyes dropped to the black, shrivelled hands poking out from beneath long, pale yellow sleeves.

"I do not fight against those who have a clear disadvantage," Byakuya stated. His senses pricked. _So there's another._

Orochimaru chuckled, licking his lips. He tipped his head to the side, his nose caressing the lower jaw of his yellow bellied snake. It purred.

"What a nice young man," he cooed. "Respecting his elders."

The noble almost scoffed.

"A shame you can't do that same. Call out your lackey," he ordered firmly.

"Hmmm," Orochimaru moaned in amusement, tilting his head slightly. A figure blurred from the trees to the ground, revealing a silver-haired man, and as Byakuya turned his head to see this person, he caught a flicker of pain crossing the Snake Sannin's eyes.

The ground shook.

The silver-head chuckled. "Sounds as though Sasuke and that brute are having a good fight," he said.

"Yes. Yes, he must. A good chance to test his skills," Orochimaru agreed.

"Then why don't you observe their match?" Byakuya asked tensely.

Another flash of pain, covered by a crooked stretch of his grin. "He'll survive. I'm sure of it. I'm much more interested in you."

Silence. Eerie. Hair-raising.

The ground trembled again.

Byakuya rested his hand on the handle of his Zanpaku-to, slowing when Orochimaru snickered.

"Now, now. As you already said, I'm maimed, and I know that your keen eyes can see that I am in pain." His grin faulted. "And I don't want to risk my subordinate Kabuto getting into any more trouble, so I simply want to… ask a few questions."

He was curious of what sort of questions he'd have to ask, and as he was taught, allowed the man to ask. So he nodded, but didn't remove his hand.

"Who were your friends?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Fine… What sort of ties do you have with Konohagakure?"

"Allies."

"So you're my enemy, are you? Hmmm. Tch." Pain crossed his eyes again. "What is your name?"

"Byakuya Kuchiki."

"Kuchiki. Kuchiki," he repeated, trying the name. "Funny. You hold yourself like a noble. You talk like one. You move like one. You certainly think like one. I was certain you're from a clan, but the name rings no bells."

Byakuya didn't answer.

"What are you?" was the next question.

"Human."

"Come now. Be honest."

"Believe what you want. I have no care."

A thin blade suddenly slipped from Kabuto's brace and was enveloped securely by his nimble fingers. "Wrong answer," he stated. He darted it.

Byakuya reflected it with alarming speed and Kabuto hurriedly jumped to the side; it embedded into the trunk behind him, buried deep.

"I believe the questionnaire is now over," he stated, securing his hold on his Zanpaku-to and brandishing it towards the two ninja. He saw sweat crawling over Kabuto's cheek, and several more on Orochimaru's. "Or do you have more to ask?"

He released his spiritual pressure, which hung down hard on the Sound-nin. Fallen leaves shifted uncomfortably, the bushes and trees quaking slightly too.

"What is this?" he heard Orochimaru croak.

Byakuya suddenly stopped, head whipping in the direction that he intended to go in before. He flash-stepped; gone.

"Maybe we should pay Konoha a little visit," Orochimaru said, panting. Beside him, the shakily exhaling silver-haired nodded.

* * *

_*scratches head* Boy, this wasn't meant to happen. Sasuke wasn't meant to show up until later! But I had SO much trouble writing this, so I cut it off at a certain point and wrote him in, and somehow everything after just flowed out like cream. New ideas spawned, as well. More complications, questions, problems, interests, tensions – drama! XD_

_And, oh boy, have I noticed a boo-boo. I have been writing Hinata as the same age as the others. Or really, when I write her, I imagine her with the body of a sixteen year old but because she's pure shinigami, would she still grow that fast? Or should I create some sort of whacky reason for why she is like that? Maybe that because she was originally a ninja – different from a normal human being – the remnants of her chakra still allowed her to age normally until it is gone?_

_I have a __**time-travel**__ story now posted. It's called __**Rainy Days**__. Please read?_


	21. Into The Fray

_Shameful advertisement: Read my __**Time-travel**__ story, __**Rainy Days**__, please! :3_

_Oh, boo. Was a little disappointed about the feedback for last chapter, considering everyone was anticipating it, but I've stiffened up my upper lip and finished off this chapter. I swear my writing style is changing a little bit, and so I'm actually a little awkward about this chapter. I love what happens in it, but I dislike my writing for it. Maybe it's just because there was SO much to do. _

_But anyway. Thank you to those who reviewed and favourited and alerted. :)  
_

_On another note… I AM ALIVE! Heh. -_- I have barely been on this site for the past month because my addiction went elsewhere, but still… here I am. XD Sort of. Secondly: boy, have I effed up keeping the chapters a constant size. Next story they will be constant. I am very sorry. T.T  
_

_Still... Read. Enjoy. Review—complain, criticise, love, so on. :)_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE  
**_Into The Fray_

* * *

"Ino. What is your diagnosis?" Captain Unohana asked. She stood behind Kankuro's bed, watching the blonde inspecting the groaning brunette's wounds. His tanned skin was coated in a sheen of sweat, his right leg wrapped in bloody bandages.

The Suna medic's waited silently and patiently to the side, observing closely, but Temari was getting impatient. She was tapping her foot, looking frantically between Ino, the strange, long-haired woman, and her brother twitching in pain, his eyes lolling to the back of his head.

"Well, what can you do?" she snapped.

Ino straightened up. "A very strong poison," she stated to herself. "Captain Unohana, we'll need to extract some of it to create an antidote."

Temari blanched. "And how are you going to do that?"

The fair woman nodded calmly, smiling. "You should be able to do that, Ino. Don't worry. I am here."

The blonde procured a small vial from her small blue bag on the floor, by her feet. A mint green liquid sloshed against the walls of the glass tube, making Temari stare suspiciously at it.

"What's that?" she asked, worried. She didn't exactly trust these two, despite one of them being a former ninja of Konoha.

As an ally of Konoha, Suna was informed of what had occurred there three years ago, but the details were very limited. Gaara had admitted to his siblings that the village was clearly hiding something, but Suna did the very same thing.

It seemed that even though they were allies, not every bit of information was shared, which was… unsettling.

Ino unscrewed the top and poured the liquid into a cupped palm; it seemed to glue together, but still somehow remained thin enough to spread out like water. Inhaling calmly, she started to spread the solution on Kankuro's chest.

His reaction was an immediate jolt of surprise at the cold, and he gripped Ino's elbow til his skin turned white. The medic's and Temari lunged forward, unprepared, but stopped themselves quickly. Captain Unohana had put her hand comfortingly on Kankuro's shoulder, and his tired eyes slowly closed as he let go of Ino's elbow.

She continued, smearing it better.

After a moment she created a tent with her fingers on his bare chest, the liquid glued to her hand and dissolving into his skin at the same time. Pain rolled through Kankuro and he tensed, breath hitching, veins protruding from where his muscles pushed harder. Temari grew more worried in the background, shown by her restless interlaced fingers.

"It's alright, young man," Captain Unohana whispered, stroking his broad shoulders like a soothing massage. He groaned, eyes wide. "Miss Temari. Please get a wet cloth."

"Right." The blonde distractedly nodded. She skittered on the spot before running to the basin and following the rest of the order.

Still concentrating, Ino gradually moved her fingers into a pinch, the glue-like liquid much thicker than before, and with a slow exhale, pulled up directly. The substance turned a light pink as it oozed out of his chest, drawing more pain to his body, until eventually it hung from Ino's fingertips like stretched chewing gum.

"Good work, Ino," the Captain congratulated. She stepped to the side and let Temari drape the blue cloth of her brother's forehead.

"Will he be okay?" she asked, running her hand over the material. She swallowed thickly.

Ino exhaled in relief, wiping sweat from her brow. In her palm was a small pink ball which was now hard – the medic's eyes widened at the find – her fingertips dirty with unneeded substance. "He's not out of the woods yet. I'll need room to concoct an antidote. Where may I do that?"

"Uh… this way, ma'am," one of the Suna doctor's said, gesturing the way.

Temari turned to the older dark-haired woman, still caressing her brother's forehead. "What is she going to do?"

"Ino will create an imitation of the poison she has extracted," she replied.

"But… how? What did she do?"

Unohana smiled warmly. "Her specialty is poisons, so she is more than suited for the job. The substance she used just now is a special combination of herbs and liquids that she has collected and brewed – this, I cannot divulge. The longer it is exposed to air, the quicker it hardens, becoming first like a sticky ball of glue," she explained. "The poison she extracted is held in that small pink ball, much like an egg."

Sweat fell from Temari's chin as she swallowed nervously and nodded. "I see."

* * *

It had been over two hours since Ino and Captain Unohana had left, and Captain Kuchiki had not yet returned. Sakura wasn't worried, just very curious – and she pondered how Ino was going.

Kankuro was someone she hadn't actually ever spoken to after the Chuunin Exams, the same with Temari. Gaara had apologised to her – well, sort of – before returning to Suna after the small war with Sound, but otherwise she had no real relationship with the three.

Things were weird, though.

Not long ago the smaller group had felt a tingling of a spiritual pressure. It couldn't be ninja, but they all knew it wasn't Captain Kuchiki's. Hitsugaya and Ichimaru hadn't commented on it – the shorter shinigami was still leading while the latter was lagging at the back – but the shini-nin had discussed who it could have been.

Kiba.

They knew it was him. They hadn't felt his full pressure before, but it was definitely him, and it made Sakura's skin crawl. She had only ever sparred with him, and now he was actually battling someone? Who, most of all?

Any chance of conversation had been quenched as soon as they realised this – because Tenten had been looking worriedly over at Neji and Hinata was bugging her cousin about something at that time. Now they were concentrated on their mission, full aware that there seemed to be more going on than just that.

At the same time, the terrain morphed from heavy trees to a barren wasteland.

"We're almost there!" Hitsugaya called from upfront.

And they were. They could sense the motions of battle coming closer and closer.

"This is the latest team that left Konoha," he explained. "Three of us will remain here to assist them."

"I can do that," Ichimaru offered, grinning.

"Right. Hyuuga. You two as well," Hitsugaya ordered. They nodded.

Water suddenly sloshed against their feet and the shinigami readied themselves, either for battle or to slip passed. The level reached their ankles, and Hinata withdrew her Zanpaku-to, activating her shikai. Speeding ahead of Hitsugaya, she gritted her teeth, shouted, "May it be mine!" and sliced the top of the water with her small weapon.

The water separated instantly, creating a narrow path with rolls of waves that tumbled down either side.

"We have to hurry," she huffed.

The height of the walls grew taller until it was higher than Ichimaru, and by then the battlefield of ninja could be seen up ahead. The shinigami stuck closer to Hinata and if they looked up, they'd be able to see the ninja involved, but there was no chance to.

The female Hyuuga did a U-turn, and as soon as she passed Ichimaru, made a C-motion that knitted the water together and swirled it anti-clockwise. "You three will make it out easily!" she shouted. "Neji, Captain Ichimaru, stay here!"

They didn't hesitate, and as Sakura pushed herself harder, she looked behind to see a forming whirlpool and the pathway closing in a rush behind her. Five black figures could be seen standing atop the water, looking oddly confused.

She wished she could have gone back to take a closer look at who was there, but a sharp tug from Tenten spurred her on, just as the waves became small and splashed against her feet.

They were out.

"Tenten! Did you see who was there?" she shouted.

The brunette glanced over her shoulder, and Sakura could see unshed tears in her chocolate brown eyes. The rosette nodded.

Gai and Lee were two of them.

* * *

"Woah! Woa-woa-woah!"

The water surface was suddenly very unstable, knocking the four of them slightly off balance, even the larger cloaked man just feet away.

"Watch it, Chouji!" Shikamaru warned, grabbing onto the larger boy's shirt and pulling him back upright with difficulty. Gai might've cheered something about teamwork, but honestly the strategist wasn't listening to him.

Then out of nowhere, the massive body of water had suddenly split in two, cutting right between the ninja team and the blue Akatsuki member wielding the giant weapon on the other side. Tiny waves rolled from the suddenly created pathway, rippling and playing with the current the ninja had to adjust their chakra flow to.

"What's going on?" Lee cried, taking a step back.

Six figures could be seen through the clear blue water, which then separated into two groups, the second running on. The liquid from behind then crashed inwards, combining, before suddenly spinning in a certain direction that then closed off the other side of the path.

"It's them," Shikamaru muttered. "It's the shinigami! Get back!"

They didn't need to be told again as the four scooted back on the water – Lee landed on a rock in his way – just seconds before the whirlpool stabilised and a gush of rough wind stirred up the surface. Shikamaru hopped back another step onto a rock platform, and Chouji followed, on another to the side.

The Akatsuki member growled in the distance and buried the tip of his weapon into the water and made a sign. He slammed his hand against the water surface, and several bubbles extended from his fingers, spinning down and quickly morphing into sharks.

"Hi!"

Shikamaru yelped, jumping around and just barely getting his footage on the water in time. Chouji had flinched, and Gai and Lee had directed their attention as well onto the silver-haired man perched on the rock.

Ichimaru grinned. "You four head on, mmkay? We've got this guy covered."

There was a very loud pause – loud because of the rushing water and wind – until Gai nodded and shouted for them to move on. Shikamaru reluctantly followed, not looking on from the shinigami who was waving cheerfully goodbye to them.

"Shikamaru, are you sure it's okay to keep going?" Chouji whispered as he wiped his brow.

Lee and Gai were quickly disappearing ahead of them, completely enthused to meet up with the next team.

"They'll be fine, Chouji," he answered.

"You look uncertain," he pointed out.

Shikamaru huffed and sighed loudly. "So troublesome!" he cried.

* * *

"Sakura!" someone screamed from behind.

"Is that—?" Sakura started, looking.

"Lee!" Tenten exclaimed.

Hitsugaya frowned. "How did they catch up?" he grumbled to himself.

"They're ninja, Captain," the rosette reminded.

Two specks of green were quickly coming into view against the brown wasteland – luckily, because they were reaching a second forest – and Lee and Gai suddenly skidded back down to their pace, throwing up a cloud of dust that bathed Hitsugaya in a light brown.

Sakura snorted in amusement, and Tenten was about to do the same before she was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace.

"It's our Princess, Lee!" Gai shouted, effectively stopping the entire group.

Lee's eyes sparkled, and he appeared momentarily torn between greeting Sakura and hugging Tenten. Sakura inconspicuously gestured to the brunette, and the bug-eyed boy nodded profusely before complying.

"Tenten! Princess!"

"Oh, how much we have missed you!"

"How is my rival, Neji?"

"Uh… you just missed him," Tenten squeaked, having trouble getting her voice. "He was one of them left behind."

Gai gasped and jumped back. "My poor student is left in the fray of battle!" He clenched a fist and growled, pumping it into the air. "So youthful, Neji Hyuuga! So youthful!"

Lee had a similar look of fire in his eyes.

At that moment, Sakura glanced back to see two more people coming into view, and the already slight buzzing in her body was becoming louder and harsher.

"Enough!" Hitsugaya shouted over the excited peels of the two Green Beasts of Konoha. "We have to move on," he stated firmly, frowning, glaring, and dusting off the dirt coating his shoulders.

Gai punched the air again. "Too right, young man! Lee, Lee's Blossom, Princess…" he turned around and raised his voice even more, cupping his mouth, "…Shikamaru and youthful Chouji! We must carry on!"

Sakura swore she heard Shikamaru groan loudly from where he was; she giggled.

"Sakura."

She perked, finding herself staring up at Lee. "Hey, Lee," she greeted.

He gave her the thumbs up. "You look more beautiful than you did before, Sakura."

She found herself blushing a deep red at the compliment and was having trouble getting rid of the flattered smile from her lips. "T-Thanks, Lee."

"Lee! Come on!" Tenten shouted. Hitsugaya was already somewhere up ahead, barely seen.

"Coming!"

He followed. Sakura decided to wait for Shikamaru and Chouji to catch up, and they eventually did, panting slightly. She wasn't surprised considering that the sun was directly above them and wasn't letting up on the amount of heat it pounded back down on the earth. So for that, she was quite thankful that she had gotten quite wet before.

"Sakura," Chouji greeted.

The rosette sized him up, partially surprised by his big build and longer hair. As a kid, she would have definitely described him as fat, but now, even though he may look a little bit thicker, it suited completely. It looked like it was just all muscle or something.

Shikamaru, though, had hardly changed a bit, and neither had his personality as he just raised a hand in welcome before exhaling heavily. Sweat dribbled down his cheeks.

"Nice to see you two again," she answered honestly. "But we better get going."

Chouji laughed merrily as they continued. "I can picture a big party for you guys when this mission ends, Sakura!"

She giggled too, skipping for a second, overcome with joy of seeing her old friends. "Looking forward to it!"

Right then she did. Several hours ago she was nervous, and a few days from now… well, she may feel that same anxiety again. What if she wasn't accepted? Chouji, Shikamaru and Lee were all so happy to see her, but that could have been for different reasons. They had met on the battlefield, so the relief she could understand.

If it had been a peaceful time back at the village, the circumstances would have been different. They might've approached her and the others another way. Though, in the back of her mind, Sakura knew that it was most likely just Naruto that she was worried about.

"Haruno! Pick it up!" Hitsugaya shouted from up front.

The group of seven were stretched out in a long line, before eventually Gai led his team in another direction. Sakura and Tenten bid them goodbyes with just a simple wave and continued to trail behind the snow-haired Captain.

This was when the brunette said to Sakura, "What are the chances it's going to be your sensei, Sakura?"

She engulfed her bottom lip in contemplation. "Very likely."

* * *

Sasuke was pissed.

Glaring at the panting brunette opposite of him, Sasuke spat some of the blood sloshing about in his mouth out onto the grass. He took a few steps to the left, limping slightly, his heart pounding. Kiba copied him, blood coating his shins, his pant legs torn to shreds and basically gone.

Red stained the grass and trees in light smatters, but it just goes to show how much these two fighters were absorbed into their battle.

But that was why Sasuke was pissed. He remembered Kiba Inuzuka from the Academy, and how the brat had lost against Naruto in the Chuunin Exams, so he absolutely hadn't prepared to see this giant brute burst from the trees.

The sheer size of the Inuzuka almost made him lose his footing on the tree branch. Scanning him initially, Sasuke had deduced that the boy was at least a head taller than him, and he was bulky; that massive weapon on his back said this. He wielded it effortlessly, kind of how Zabuza had managed to wield that giant sword way back when.

He didn't want to admit it, but he had underestimated this big brute, and was somewhat intimidated. The sheer pressure he exuded had slowed his movements initially until he got used to it but it had taken a moment.

_What the hell did they give this guy?_ he demanded profusely in his mind. _Enlargement pills? Something else that gave him such power?_

And he had taken note of the fact that the Inuzuka was without that white puppy of his. He had asked as well, just out of curiosity when Kiba had paused for a moment, but that simple question just sent him on a rampage.

That was a mistake.

_I'm running out of chakra_, Sasuke realised, shifting the handle of his katana around in his right hand. His left arm was wounded, blood sliding down his arm and dripping from his fingers. If he so much as tensed the muscles in his hand, pain would spasm up his limb.

"You're making a mistake," the Uchiha tried to coerce.

Kiba grinned. "Heh. Worried that I'm kicking your ass?"

Sasuke held up his katana. "I'm still alive aren't I?"

"Not for long." The Inuzuka twirled his nodachi in his big hands, air spinning in tiny spirals at the speed, and he suddenly gripped it firmly.

_How has he been able to avoid my Sharingan for so long? He's been able to sense where I'm going without even looking at me. That has to be it. It looks like he's kept those canine instincts after all._ Sasuke breathed out silently. _I'll have to _force_ him to look me in the eyes, then. A small Genjutsu should hold him back long enough._

Despite his sore left arm, Sasuke held the handle of his katana firmly with both hands and started sprinting. Kiba pushed off as well, the ground under his feet at his departure creating a shallow crater from his weight.

Before they met in the middle Sasuke created a clone and split up. A large swipe to his side and Kiba's blade nicked the clone; it burst into smoke. He was open for that split second and Sasuke was going to use it to his advantage.

He stayed low to the ground as he moved in. Predicting Kiba using his legs to deflect, Sasuke slipped to the Inuzuka's opposing side to his nodachi, disabling the predetermined attack but—_shit!_ Sasuke cursed.

A thick fist suddenly came down from above and he barely dodged it by slipping further from Kiba. Balance off, he saw his foe coming again with another attack but had no chance to dodge before blood suddenly splashed across his face and pain burst between his eyes.

He gasped and skidded back, wincing as the red liquid seeped into his left eye. _That was too fucking close._

"Having trouble, Sasuke?"

Kiba tensed, and the Uchiha growled loudly. Someone chuckled.

Before he knew it, two syringes had sunk into his thick skin, and Kiba's eyes rolled upwards as sleep came over him. Sasuke growled again.

"I had him!" he snapped.

Kabuto emerged from behind the trees, laughing. "Not from where I was standing. You're precious to Lord Orochimaru. We don't want you to lose those eyes of yours."

Sasuke crossed his arms, irritated, and looked away. "Whatever."

"You and that attitude of yours," Kabuto mused. He crouched down next to Kiba's sleeping body crumbled on the ground, his red nodachi still in his grasp slowly fading to an ashy grey. "Now. We need to get this guy back."

"Why?" Sasuke grunted.

"He wants me to experiment. Mind you, he would have preferred that man from before, but I guess your former friend would have to do."

Sasuke didn't even both correcting him.

The scientist had laid one hand on Kiba's shoulder when he instantly flinched back, hissing in pain. "What—?"

Interested, the dark-haired nin raised an eyebrow as he sat himself down to get a breather. He started working on removing the blood on his face, and as he traced his fingers over the scar, he was even more thankful that Kiba wasn't a little more to the side. There'd be a scar right between his eyes, extending from next to his nose to above his left eye.

"This is interesting," Kabuto remarked, and he took a few steps back. "I cannot touch this boy."

"Why?"

The Uchiha forced himself up to a stand again and saw why. Kiba's tanned skin was glowing red, and he spied wisps of smoke curling from somewhere on his large body. He had taken one step towards him when all of a sudden a fire flourished around Kiba's neck, making Sasuke retreat those paces back.

The fire quickly spread, engulfing Kiba's body completely so that he resembled a lit log. He burned brightly, but didn't wake, like he couldn't even feel the eating spirit of the flames.

Kabuto fixed his glasses, amazed. "Lord Orochimaru would be most displeased he could not see this."

"He's dead. He won't survive that."

"I did not start the fire, Sasuke. And neither did you," the scientist reminded, still sounding fascinated.

Sasuke grunted. "I don't care. Let's go. Let him burn."

"You are a cruel man." Yet he chuckled in amusement.

But as soon as they were out of sight, far away, the flames enveloping Kiba's body started to recede into the knitting of his clothing, into the strands of his hair and into the very faint lines on his skin. He looked exactly the same as before; no burns marring his skin, no sign of a fire ever being there.

And there he lay, sleeping, waiting to be found.

* * *

Ino was almost there. She could feel it.

She had blended the herbs the Suna doctor's had in store in their small greenhouse near the hospital, and after cracking open the 'egg' she tilted the suspect poison into a tube and set it aside for the moment.

She explained, as she tested antidotes by letting a drop dissolve into one half of the egg, that if the shell returned to the mint-green it once was then the poison was neutralised – and if it failed it needed a quick wash. It required a precise measurement of herbs, made somewhat quicker by the solutions her Zanpaku-to excreted that filled in the blanks.

Her long list of plants and herbs and toxins made her aware of which ones would be best suited for the symptoms she checked beforehand. It, by no means, meant she was faster than a medic-nin, because she went through trial and error just like they did to reach the result.

"Would you need anymore?" a male Suna doctor asked.

Ino flashed a smile. "No thanks. I'm almost there. And good news." She readied a dripper over the egg shell. "There will be several vials of antidotes afterwards."

"That's great!" he cheered, watching closely as the next droplet fell into the concave shape of the shell.

To their joy, the mint-green quickly returned, and Ino gave the man beside her a mischievous smile. "We're awesome," she stated. He stared for a second before chortling. "Quick! Let's head back to Kankuro!"

"Right!"

The two herbalists quickly but carefully poured the rest of the solute into three syringes. "There will be two left, and I will leave a transcribe of what I did to make it so you can make more in the future. Each shot will eradicate the initial poison in the body almost immediately."

* * *

Renji let out a loud, satisfied sigh as he slunk against the edge of the hotspring, resting his arms along the brim with a sake cup held tightly in one hand. A huge grin was on his face as he soaked in the atmosphere.

"This is good," he moaned. He flinched when he stretched his back. "Damn. Sparring with the Captain still makes my body ache like a bitch."

Ikkaku chuckled menacingly opposite the slouching redhead, running a wet hand over his shaved head – as though he had the hair to rake back. "I've heard that it won't stay that way for long, Renji," he commented.

Hisagi and Kira raised an eyebrow and looked at the tattooed man with interest, while Yumichika was stretching his way out of the hotspring to grab a near towel – he was doing his best not to reveal _too_ much.

Renji grinned broadly. "And where'd you hear that?"

Ikkaku ran a finger over his lips. "Well, you know what those Fourth Division groupies are like. Apparently you're going to be considered for promotion sometime soon. At least that's what they say. They are your fans, though."

Renji chuckled. "Can't trust what they say." He sighed in satisfaction. "Hm. I have groupies," he stated. It wasn't toned like a question, but it definitely seemed that way.

"Ah," Hisagi hummed. "Is that why those females ushered me into the infirmary when I had a simple nick?"

Kira turned to his senior. "You went to the infirmary with a nick?"

The '69'-marked man splashed water at his blond friend. "I was passing by."

Yumichika sighed as he relaxed back into the water, his hair now curled into a safe nest in the towel he had on top of his head. "Renji's groupies were asking if you had any more tattoo's, right, Hisagi?"

The dark-haired Lieutenant slimmed his eyes. "How'd you know?"

"That was where you were heading." A cat-like smile stretched over his lips. "Those girls love tattooed men."

"Touché."

"Groupies. Groupies," Renji muttered. "Fans. Ahh!" He shot up, eyes wide. "That was where my spare underwear went!"

The other four men burst out into laughter, Yumichika trying not to let his turbaned hair come undone, but it was proving difficult.

"Be careful, Abari," Kira snorted. "They may have their telescopes on you now!"

A smirk met Renji's lips and he slouched back into his seat against the stone. "Then let them stare."

Kira blushed deep red, and it didn't have anything to do with the steam around them.

"But speaking of women," Ikkaku started, eyes shifting to the side to stare at Hisagi. "You and the Hyuuga, huh?"

Yumichika moaned in approval. "He. Is. A. Dish," he commented, leaning his head against a fist; his cat-like smile had returned.

Hisagi eyed the feminine man. "His cousin. The female."

Yumichika grinned wickedly. "I know."

"Sometimes you scare me," Ikkaku muttered more to himself than to his best friend. "So how far have you gotten?"

His teeth were bared in an almost perverted smile, but Hisagi wasn't taking the chance to identify if the bald man did want the nitty gritty, because he just shoved Ikkaku's head under the water anyway and held it there.

"None of your business," Hisagi ground out.

A small water fight spawned between the two, which was ignored by the remaining three who sat in silence and soaked in the hot water, with Renji taking the occasional sips of his sake. It was Kira who broke the silence, and the fight, with what he said next.

"Have you heard the rumour?"

Hisagi had his muscled arm around Ikkaku's neck when he stopped and watched the blond. "What rumour?"

"About the Twelfth Division," Kira continued.

Renji took another sip of his sake. "Referring to Kiba?"

"That's no rumour," Yumichika reminded, chuckling. "Anyone who is interested about the boy would know that Captain Kurotsuchi is doing something with him."

"With Head-Captain's consent," Ikkaku croaked in Hisagi's headlock.

Kira shook his head. "No."

"Oh!" Ikkaku exclaimed, pulling himself from the dark-haired Lieutenant's grasp and massaging his now sore neck. "I know the one you're talking about."

"Ah!" Yumichika smacked a fist into his hand in realisation. "About the shini-nin."

Renji's eyes widened in interest, and Hisagi – who was stretching over to steal some sake from the red-head – had lowered himself back down slowly at the feminine man's words. The two mulled it over quickly, before remembering.

"It's a bad idea," Renji stated instantly.

"Is it really?" Kira countered, and without skipping a beat, continued. "If they go ahead with it, then wouldn't everywhere be safe?"

"Nowhere is safe, Izuru," Hisagi said.

The blond faced his friend. "You don't agree, either."

"I didn't say that."

"But it's all a rumour, isn't it?" Yumichika asked. The nearby lanterns hanging from the building next to them flickered on as night started to come.

"Yeah, sure," Ikkaku affirmed.

But the silence afterwards proved otherwise.

* * *

Lights flashed periodically. Blue and green and yellow were spotted about the consoles, all bleating to convey the current conditions of the many projects Twelfth Division had taken on. It was dark, the only light source being the many computer screens that were on and displaying their statistics.

Nemu surveyed the results of their current projects, pressing a few buttons and recording the data that was given. Her blank eyes slowly moved over the screens until she stopped on one. There, she stared.

Two of the differently sized, fluctuating, yellow bars were flashing red, and steadily they started to climb the screen. Nemu watched closely, quickly checking to see if this was being recorded, before witnessing the two bars return back to normal, and remain a bright yellow.

She pressed a button on her headset, and in an even voice said, "Captain? Project 119 is showing signs of change."

* * *

_OMO! What does Nemu mean? What's Project 119? What's the rumour the guys are talking about? What's going to happen with the battle between Kisame, Ichimaru and the two Hyuuga? What about the other shini-nin group? What the hell happened with Kiba? Do tell if you're wondering the same things. :3_


	22. Guts

**—CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO—  
**_Guts_

* * *

Hana Inuzuka landed softly on the ground, her soles sinking slightly into the soft earth. The three Haimaru Brothers slowly padded to a halt around her, their black noses sniffing at the still, hot air and their ashy grey ears twitching. Hana crouched still, listening, waiting, and she held up a stern arm when she sensed her two companions come onto the scene.

One landed silently in the branches of a nearby tree, and the other hid behind a sturdy trunk, half submerged by the thick bushes.

"I smell smoke," Hana announced, running her coarse fingers through one of her dog companions short head fur. "Brimstone."

"A lit house?" Nami, a female ninja with short, dark blonde hair, suggested. Her lips were tight as she crouched-ran over to Hana.

"Botan," Hana whispered.

A sturdier built ninja – a male – glided from the trees to beside the two girls, placing a gloved hand on the head of one of the sniffing canine. His pearl-like eyes were framed by thin veins protruding to the side – a Hyuuga.

"Way ahead of you," he murmured, his long black hair, kept in a neat low ponytail, falling from around his shoulders.

While he was still checking, one of the canine brothers growled, his fur bristling dangerously like a porcupines back. The other two followed suit, and Hana tensed, eyes thinning.

"No one is nearby," Botan announced softly, answering any questions they may have had that alerted the three canines.

Hana bared her teeth. "They don't react to the sensing of another's presence. They're reacting to the smell of the fire."

"What's different about it?" Nami asked.

"This wood isn't polished, like a house might be," Hana stated. "There was a battle nearby. We should go check. Botan, keep an eye open."

"I have two," he whispered as the group began to move again.

Threading their way through the forest, it wasn't long before the three Haimaru Brothers reacted again, and Hana had no choice but to set her feet firmly on the ground when she realised why. The hair on her skin prickled uncomfortably as she sniffed the air.

"Botan. Check North-West," she requested, pointing in said bearing.

The Hyuuga focused in that spot, and through the shades and tints of black and white, he found broken trees and upturned earth. That is, until he zeroed on a body.

"There's someone there," he said.

"Dead?" Nami asked.

"No. Alive. Unconscious."

"Wounded?"

"I hope not," Hana growled. One of her dog companions barked as she set off on a run. "That's my brother!"

* * *

Kisame growled to himself, baring his sharp, jagged teeth and skidding back along the surface of the water, Samehada ripping through it like paper. He toppled for a second, and he pushed chakra to his feet to spring further back when the water beneath him ruptured like a fountain.

He set his white eyes on his three new opponents, more than a little peeved that his initial prey had escaped through his fingers. He huffed. Like he had a choice.

They had come out of nowhere, and he didn't have his full powers because of Leader's jutsu. Speaking of him, he wasn't going to be happy when he'd get the news that not only had the four ninja gotten away, but an additional three unknowns had joined them.

He recognised two of the ones in front of him as Hyuuga, but their clothes were foreign, and they lacked a hitai-ate. They also hadn't used any hand signs for jutsu, nor did they have any chakra, which was odd.

Odd, but interesting.

And that smiling one… Kisame didn't like him.

The female struck the water, and he felt the current beneath him change as spouts of the liquid bubbled and then darted towards him in a rush. The noise was loud, but Kisame merely swung at the water with his weapon and it burst into droplets. He suddenly found himself staring at closed eyes and silver bangs as a smile loomed in on him.

Kisame swerved as the silver-head's small blade grazed passed his waist, nicking his cloak. He swung Samehada up, grinning wickedly when it caught his foe's arm and shredded his clothes and skin to bits. Blood dotted everything, and the silver-haired man groaned as he skidded back, his free hand gripping his red sword-arm.

Tiny blades suddenly spat up from the water in dozens below Kisame's feet. He used Samehada to block some, but sharp cuts still appeared on his blue skin as he dodged. Water spiralled up around him, and the kunai-shaped daggers changed direction, zeroing in on him once more.

Kisame growled loudly in annoyance and slammed his hands together for handsigns. He endured the flittering pain of the first daggers as they skimmed his body, until he created several water clones. Two of them burst into nothing but water instantly, and he used the chance to escape the overlapping of water about to crush him.

"This is getting annoying," the Akatsuki member snarled to himself, his brow knitted into a full frown. Blood seeped from dozens of cuts, and Samehada was hungrier than before. The annoying thing was, the taste of the energy he had sucked from before wasn't satisfying.

He growled again as he glared at his three opponents. He'd have to take things up a notch if he wanted to hold them off. Unfortunately, he doubted he'd be able to catch up to the ones who escaped. He could barely dodge as it was.

Yes. Things had gone downhill much faster than anticipated.

* * *

"Go! Just go!" Hitsugaya ordered. He brandished his weapon, tip pointed directly at the red cloud, cloaked man standing calmly in front of them.

Gai nodded without complaining and sent the signal. Chouji, Shikamaru and Lee nodded from behind the white-haired fighter, expressions straight as they disappeared into the trees around them to follow behind Kakashi's trail. Their foe's eyes watched in mild aggravation as the four ninja escaped.

Sakura spread her feet firmly apart, and Tenten did the same, both withdrawing their katana.

The rosette's heart was hammering against her ribcage, setting some sort of fire in her chest that made it difficult to breathe. The fight wasn't what made her this way. The brief sight of her old friend did.

Just minutes ago the large group had burst into the clearing to see this man holding off against a team of four. That team: Shino Aburame, an older lady she had never seen before, Kakashi-sensei, and Naruto.

In that second, any plans to what to say or how to act around them was completely gone when she set eyes on them. And for that moment, she found it easy. They were in combat. There was no time to talk.

Naruto had glanced behind as soon as the group entered the clearing, and she could see the shock in his eyes as soon as he saw her. But there were no time for greetings before Kakashi had coaxed them to flee, and with so many opponents, their foe could do nothing.

"Talk to you later, Sakura!" Naruto had shouted before he disappeared. His voice made her heart clamp.

Not long later, after Gai had briefly 'chatted' – read: went over – with Hitsugaya, the shinigami had told them to follow after the initial group.

So many people.

Hitsugaya found it quite problematic to have so many ninja around, plus the number of shinigami that followed. It was difficult and messy, orders barely being run over before being deployed. He could be impulsive, but without knowing all the facts was gnawing at him.

The gnawing in Sakura was different.

She cooled herself down, ready for battle, Tenten brimming in anticipation beside her. What nagged at her, though, was the familiarity of the man in front of her. He oozed predation and level-headedness, and gave off a vibe that suggested power – power that was limited, purposely.

What gnawed at her was his likeness to Sasuke Uchiha, and when he blinked and showed red, she dropped her eyes instantly to the ground, recognising him.

"Don't look him in the eyes!" she shouted, gripping her weapon tighter.

They both understood.

_Itachi Uchiha_, she frantically remembered. _Itachi Uchiha. Itachi Uchiha. Oh shit. So he's the one who killed the Uchiha clan. _

She puffed in fright.

"An Uchiha," Hitsugaya recalled. "Heard about them through Captain Kurotuschi after his preliminary results about bloodlines limits in Konoha. The Sharingan."

Goosebumps sprouted on Tenten's skin. She had never fought an Uchiha before. And the way this ninja held himself was… eerily like Captain Kenpachi; confidence in their own strength.

"Watch his feet," Hitsugaya told them. Their eyes zeroed in on his sandals, watching closely as he slightly shifted them into the soft soil.

"His feet…" Tenten murmured. "That's going to be difficult."

"Sakura."

"Yes?" she breathed.

Hitsugaya took several paces further away from her, circling. "You've sparred against an Uchiha before, haven't you?"

"Yes." _But I wasn't very good at it back then,_ she added silently to herself.

"Then you have more experience than Tenten and I," he whispered. "Ever been—"

Itachi disappeared in a flash, shutting Hitsugaya up. The sound of a sharp_ twang_ snapped the silence as Hitsugaya's katana met a thrown kunai. It clattered carelessly to the ground. Several shuriken spun from the foliage at the same time towards Tenten, who parried effortlessly.

A chill travelled up Sakura's spine and she ducked in time to see a shadow of Itachi's hand reflect on the grass she stood on. She kicked him in the stomach, but was smothered in smoke instantly.

A clone.

The familiar chill made her swerve again, but this time she widened her eyes as soon as she saw Hitsugaya's blade brushed her front. Air spiralled, stealing it from her lips as she tried to take it in.

"Captain!" Tenten warned, stopping her step towards them when an Itachi clone burst from the bushes.

"Tenten, don't!" Sakura shouted.

She had no time to see if the brunette heeded her words before Sakura was suddenly kicked into a tree. She gagged, dropping her Zanpaku-to and glancing up to see Hitsugaya staring at her.

"Captain! It's me!" she shouted. Hostility flashed in his green eyes as he stalked towards her, Tenten fighting two clones in the background, clearly having avoided the Sharingan; but Hitsugaya hadn't.

_When was he caught?_ Sakura briefly thought before she grounded her teeth together and ducked.

Metal cut through wood, centimetres above her head. She gripped her Zanpaku-to on the ground below her and rolled out of the way. She skidded across the grass, blocking in time for a counter-attack. The sound of grinding metal met her ears.

"Race, Hageshii Kiiro!" Sakura heard Tenten shout from back in the clearing. The snapping of lightning alerted Hitsugaya, and he looked up briefly in confusion, green eyes unfocused and brow knitted inwards.

Sakura couldn't take the chance. He was a liability, and she didn't have the precise means to break him out of Itachi's illusion. She did, however, have another idea. If she swept her sword to merge with his body, she could create false pain that might wake him from the illusion and leave him fine – might. This technique wasn't made specifically to snap one out of an illusion.

She pushed back against his Zanpaku-to, breaking him out of his reverie. She had hoped for an opening to follow through with her plan, but he was ready instantly to defend against her attack.

Blades met for a second before Sakura scooted back and—lightning ploughed through the bushes and melted into Hitsugaya. The rosette ducked behind a tree just in time to avoid the chain attack. Bark splinters showered over her head, and when she peeked up, she saw a clean hole through the trunk and a knocked out Captain on the ground.

Sakura huffed. _Great. Our strongest player is out. Thank god for that moment of confusion, otherwise he might've killed me._

She whispered for her shikai to activate, and as she ran back into the clearing, her katana began to takes it shape.

Now she had to see how Tenten was faring.

* * *

Three shinigami against one ninja. The trio knew that there was no way their single opponent could win, and judging by the irritated look on his blue face, he knew that too. Yet he was still oddly calm, like he wasn't afraid of death or knew something that they didn't.

Ichimaru stepped in front of the two shinigami, the water rippling away from the soles of his feet as they lightly brushed against the surface. He twisted his hand tighter around the weaved handle of his wakizashi, ignoring the stinging pain from where he had been cut. The wound was trivial; a fly.

"You two head on," he spoke with a smile, which widened when he witnessed their opponent's feet shifting to spring a counterattack.

"We shouldn't split up," Neji reminded. The hair on the back of his neck stood erect.

Gin chuckled. "We've tired him down. There's no need for an overkill. I can handle the rest on my own."

Hinata glanced at her cousin who tersely swallowed. "You're wounded," she commented, but she still relaxed her pose and took a stop back. Water sloshed over the brim of her sandals, soaking her black socks.

"Pfft." Gin waved a hand in dismissal. "Bye bye now. I should catch up soon enough," he answered, taking strong, confident steps forward.

Neji nodded minutely. "Let's go, Hinata," he whispered, turning on his heels and rushing for the forest line not far in the distance, his cousin by his side.

"We shouldn't leave him," the female protested, panting slightly.

His jaw tensed. "I know."

* * *

A wet black nose nudged Kiba's large shoulder, and the grey-black canine next to him whined in worry. A second dog trotted up to Hana, brushing against her legs comfortingly as she stood back and watched Botan as he inspected her brothers body. Nami was on the look out, pacing the clearing edge and inspecting much of the damage of the surrounding environment.

"This place reeks of Sound," Nami said in disdain, curling her upper lip. "Kabuto's slimy hands are everywhere here, and so is the Uchiha's."

Hana nodded, frowning. She knew exactly who had been here, and while Orochimaru might not have set foot in this exact area, she knew that he had been nearby, along with an energy which reminded her of the shinigami patrolling Konoha.

Botan stepped back. "He's unharmed," he announced.

Nami raised an eyebrow before turning back to the charred trees, hands on her hips. Hana bared her canine's. "How is that possible?"

Botan shrugged heftily.

"My stupid young brother was fighting against the Uchiha traitor, and possibly even Kabuto. How could he be unharmed?" she shouted.

The thin veins around his eyes disappeared, and Botan shrugged again. "He's sleeping."

Hana twitched. The Harimaru Brothers patted anxiously at the ground. "He's asleep?" she repeated. Growling, she jabbed Kiba's body, shouting, "Wake up, you doofus! Three years and the first time I see you you're asleep! And alive! And where the hell is Akamaru?" Botan retreated back near Nami.

The three dogs whined in worry again, and Hana stopped, huffing at the long brown strands framing her face.

"You can't tell anything more?" she asked Botan softly as she started pacing alongside Kiba. Her eyes swept over his body again, dozens of thoughts crossing her brain one after the other.

He was so big. How was he able to have such a massive growth spurt in three years? Yes, she knew that it was obviously normal for boys to grow during puberty, but not to the extent Kiba had. He was just sixteen. She expected his current height to be right one for when he'd turn eighteen or nineteen at least.

And so she was worried. What had the shinigami done to him? And where was Akamaru?

She clucked her tongue and sighed. "Let's head back. Botan. Can you take my brother?"

The Hyuuga looked at her for a second, then glanced at Kiba. He stomped over to the boy, mumbling, "Somehow I doubt you'd be less than 100 kilos," under his breath. He lowered himself to the ground and slung Kiba's meaty arm over his shoulder, and slowly he pushed himself up. Botan cringed. "I hate being right."

Nami patted him comfortingly, or what was meant to be that at least, but knowing the roguish woman, it was more of a mocking pat.

Botan glared at the two women walking into the bushes, the three dogs prancing cautiously behind. He sighed. "It's women like them that made me notice men," he muttered.

* * *

"Tenten!" Sakura screamed, bursting from the forest line to see the brunette fighting against Itachi Uchiha – whether it was a clone or not, Sakura had no idea.

Lightning flashed but he was swift and dodged, and he seemed to have figured out that sticking close to her made her unable to use her Zanpaku-to correctly, or at least accurately. Also the fact that there was a few second recharge between each attack – he'd jump in at these points, making Tenten retreat frantically.

Sakura dodged a rogue lightning bolt and felt a familiar sensation of heat on the back of her neck, and her weapon growing slightly hot in her palm. A kunai punctured her skin, slicing her throat and splashing blood across the field. For a moment she gurgled before—

Sand suddenly littered the floor and the Uchiha stood, momentarily confused.

Sakura zeroed in from behind, her Zanpaku-to pointed at his broad back. An inch from his skin and an arm reached forward, the blade skimming between his knuckles as his fingers closed tightly over her gripping hand. The tip halted roughly, centimetres from his cheek, his red eyes peering back at her over his shoulder.

She snapped her eyes shut, instinctively blocking his foot as he lifted it to knock her off balance. She skidded backwards but not as far, her arm slightly numb from his kick. But she could also feel blood speckled over her arm, so she knew that as she drew back she had cut him.

So he was the real one.

"Strange," he muttered.

Sakura ignored it.

He was very well guarded. She needed a distraction, and there was only one person around to do that.

"Tenten!" she shouted.

The brunette nodded distractedly, grinding her teeth as she slashed the air once, a crescent shaped lightning crackling towards the clone. He was diverted, jumping back, and swiping at it; white loops lit his weapon for a second.

"Chain Lightning!" Tenten hollered, hovering her hand over the base of her blade before swiping across it swiftly. Electricity crackled in her palm at the same time and shot out an insane speed as soon as her hand left the tip of the blade.

The ball zapped towards Itachi, who attempted to side-step. Several sparks caught his robes and the ball was absorbed quickly into his body. He groaned, tossing his head back in pain just as a stream of lightning escaped his back and sped towards the real Itachi.

Sakura watched as his red eyes slowly turned in that direction, and the other Itachi burst into a cloud smoke.

She wasn't going to waste this opportunity.

She ran at him, using the quick step that her Captain had taught her, zigzagging so it was like an illusion. Seeing Itachi's red eyes flicker from her and the impending lightning made pride swell in her chest.

It was a blur.

The outer loops of the electrical ball caught Itachi's clothes the same time as Sakura's Zanpaku-to swiped at his skin, sand filtering into his bloodstream. But then her heart jumped to her throat when the Itachi burst into smoke, momentarily revealing a log, and a nail-painted hand grasped at her wrist, keeping her in the path of the electricity – in those brief milliseconds she twisted her weapon around and jabbed it into the man behind her.

Blood spurted. She widened her eyes.

Pain spasmed through her and into Itachi behind her, and she gasped, feeling herself fall back.

"Sakura!" Tenten screamed, running to assist.

It felt like little sparks were racing through her system, making it impossible to move properly. Tenten neared, mouth open to cast more lightning, but Itachi was quick to break out of the momentary spell, and as the brunette approached him he twisted Sakura's wrist and pulled her to the side, lifting up a leg in time to kick Tenten in the stomach and sending her flying backwards.

_Why didn't he use a clone?_ Sakura numbly wondered, limp in Itachi's grip.

His breaths were laboured, and he watched as Tenten hit the earth and slid along it. Blood leaked from the wound in his abdomen and around his knuckles, and he knew that the jutsu was weakening quicker than anticipated.

Sakura still stared at the ground, saliva drooping from her open mouth and dripping into the sand Itachi stood on.

He rested his eyes on the pinkette lying on the ground at his feet, still gripping her now bruised wrist. Itachi grabbed a kunai, red-eyes seemingly glowing brighter, about to take the kill—

"Scatter, Senbonza—"

* * *

_O_O Why didn't BB finish? What cut him off? What happened? *mental break-down*_

_Alright… this chapter should have been fun for me to write, but I felt like it was incredibly lacking. I think I'm doing worse at the fights scenes because I'm insanely lazy in looking up attacks and jutsu and stuff. ^^; And I've still been distracted. I BLAME YOU KPOP! :(_

_One thing that annoys me is how fast Kisame was being defeated compared to Itachi, but it somehow suited better that way. Itachi is more slippery to me and he has the Sharingan, and Kisame was against two shinigami who has some very heavy fighting tactics (water and wind). Does my thinking make sense? Or am I stretching it?_

_Thank you for the feedback guys! :) Like, seriously. I get warm fuzzly feelings whenever I re-read your reviews. And major sorries for the delay. :( _


	23. Behind The Mask

—**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE—  
**_Behind The Mask_

* * *

Reflected sunlight flickered over his skin, and the dark-haired noble slowly lowered his Zanpaku-to. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he eyed the bloody, impaled corpse in front of him, before glancing around at the scene.

So she hadn't needed his help after all.

Sakura panted quickly and loudly, scrambling away from the sharp glass pillar she had sparked mere seconds ago, her green eyes wide. Itachi's blood pooled around the stem of the glass, the tip coated in red from where it had punctured through his chest. His body was still, limp… dead.

Sakura's heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest when she realised that… shit, she had killed Itachi Uchiha. _The _Itachi Uchiha. The man who massacred the Uchiha clan. The man that Sasuke was striving to defeat and she… had.

No. That was way too easy.

"Sakura!" Tenten screamed, suddenly appearing beside the rosette and elevating her properly against her own shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Sakura mumbled a stream of incoherent noises.

"You killed him, Sakura," the brunette breathed. "Quick thinking, too. I guess those six months with your Captain did wonders." She panted quickly, air difficult to keep in her lungs to talk properly. "The sand at his feet… the spark of fire when you hit your Zanpaku-to against it… An interesting technique."

"It was too easy," the rosette mumbled.

Captain Kuchiki started searching for Captain Hitsugaya in the forest, his weapon sheathed.

"What-what do you—" Tenten stopped short when movement caught her eyes, and both she and Sakura watched as the body impaled by the glass was slowly morphing into something – some_one_ – else. "You've got to be kidding."

Sakura groaned as she leaned into Tenten. "At least we're safe at the moment," she whispered, then tried to push herself up to her feet. "I hate your electricity, Tenten. I really do."

The brunette snickered, helping her friend up before sauntering closer to the unidentified body. Her eyes instantly caught sight of the sand village insignia on the blood smeared metal, and she turned to Sakura.

"A traitor?" she suggested.

The rosette nodded. "Must have been. Or a slave. I guess we'll never find out."

Tenten stretched, patting her Zanpaku-to now back in its sheathe. "I bit of a bummer that Itachi Uchiha isn't out of the picture, but we did good," she stated positively. "Whoever he was acted a lot like I imagined an Uchiha would, plus he had actually had the Sharingan. There's no other explanation. It was definitely a jutsu, probably somehow projecting the real one onto this guy."

"Sounds logical," Sakura agreed.

Some rustling of leaves caught the two girls' attention and they glanced over their shoulders, seeing Captain Kuchiki walk out with a still unconscious Hitsugaya on his back. His Zanpaku-to was tied the usual way it was on his back, but it still looked awkward having to carry the smaller boy.

"You two head on," Byakuya informed them. "Follow behind the faint trail of the shinobi. I will be returning to Suna. Tenten, how long will the effects of your electricity last?" he questioned.

"If he was hit with the full blast, then he'd be out for another hour still," she told him, and he nodded before disappearing back into the trees.

Sakura faced her friend. "Then how come I wasn't out like a light?"

"A bad effect. Every time the electricity enters a body, its power drastically drops as it seeks the next. The Uchiha would have felt a slight numbing sensation throughout his body, and perhaps a quick paralysis, after it had passed through you."

The rosette hummed as she stretched her arms and winced. "My fingers are still numb. I'm hoping it won't stay that way by the time we catch up to the real fight," she said, and without another glance at the corpse behind them, the two girls pelted into the forest, following the faint signature of their former team mates.

* * *

Tsunade was in a bad mood. Without having to secretly worry about the state of the mission and ninja she had applied to it, she also had to combat the annoyance of the Council and their outrage of a sudden… 'intrusion', they would say.

Two shinigami had come through the portal without their permission and had requested that Kiba Inuzuka be returned to Soul Society for his healing. Tsunade hadn't been at the hospital at the time, but she had reached word that there was a small confrontation when the shinigami proceeded to take the unconscious boy (who had been submitted into the hospital as soon as Hana had returned with her team an hour before).

It was worse as a council member had been there at the time – he was part of the Inuzuka clan as well, so Kiba was his relative.

The small argument had spread amongst the council like wildfire, and words were whispered that Tsunade wish she didn't have to hear. Their alliance with Soul Society had been on a thin line since the beginning, and each year it was growing thinner.

She growled as she entered her office with a loud bang, making the occupants stare in her direction. Her honey-coloured eyes spotted the two shinigami, ones that she didn't recognise, and instantly stomped her way over to them.

"What were you doing?"

The steel-faced shinigami with prominent earrings narrowed his eyebrows, sweeping black hair from his eyes. "We were ordered to take Kiba Inuzuka back to Soul Society."

Several of the shinobi in the room – two Inuzuka and three council members – bristled at the rude response. Tsunade held out her hand.

"Give me your orders," she demanded.

"It was verbal."

"Then tell me the name of the person who gave you your order."

"Captain Kurotsuchi," the other, eagle-eyed, shinigami responded. "And that was all he told us."

"Kiba Inuzuka was assigned to a shinobi mission, and as he was wounded on a shinobi mission, he will be treated in a shinobi hospital," Tsunade explained through clenched teeth. She wouldn't be about to blow her gasket if she had been notified before they came to take him, or something of the like, but since they bypassed her completely, she was pissed.

Neither sides of the alliance was helping the treaty at all. It was common knowledge nowadays that it was going to fail, but the question was when. It was like everyone was scrambling to get their share, or more than the other, before the dam broke.

Fools.

_They really will be the death of me,_ Tsunade cursed to herself.

"But he is not a shinobi," the steel-like shinigami stated bluntly, his eyes narrowing. "What's more, there is no reason to treat him. From what I've heard, and seen, the boy is completely healthy."

Tsunade clenched her entire body to restrain herself from punching this guy's lights out. And judging by the rising surge of anger behind her, the other ninja were thinking the same thing.

"He's not healthy until I say so," she practically hissed.

The eagle-eyed shinigami cocked his head to the side. "Then say so, so that we may leave – _with_ the boy."

Veins pulsed visibly in Tsunade's skin, and she took a deep breath to calm herself down. "I have not yet seen anything about Kiba's condition. Let me see to that first, _then_ you can ask about returning him to Soul Society," she growled.

She didn't give them a chance to reply before she stalked out the door, shouting for everyone to leave already before she threw them out herself. The shinigami left with bitter eyes watching them.

* * *

It was the first time Tsunade had seen any of them in person after the three years, besides the two Hyuuga, of course, and now she could see why everyone was doubly insistent on him not being taken.

Kiba's arms were almost falling from the sides of the beds, and his feet touched the bottom of the cot easily. By his side was Hana, pacing furiously. She looked up the moment Tsunade had entered.

"Lady Tsunade," she greeted.

"Unexpected," the Hokage murmured, approaching the unconscious boy and completing a series of basic checks, matching them with the ones already recorded on the clipboard on his bedside table. "This growth is not natural."

Hana stayed silent, though her eyes showed that she wanted to say something more.

"And his breathing is irregular for a normal human," Tsunade continued. She then glanced around. "Where is Akamaru? It's been three years, but from what I had seen, they never parted."

The female Inuzuka's lips tightened and anger flashed across her face. "I don't know, Milady. That's what worries me. What the hell has happened to my brother?"

"I don't know… yet." The blonde cast her eyes over the naturally frowning boy slumbering in the hospital bed. "But it's obvious that Soul Society knows something that they had not reported."

"Those two shinigami…" Hana started.

Tsunade growled as she made for the door, her footfalls heavy against the concrete. "…are not leaving with him," she ended.

* * *

"So is it a deal?" Gin asked.

The Akatsuki member stared at him stoically, the water still rushing under his feet and his weapon lowered completely so that he appeared open. Gin had retracted his Zanpaku-to to its normal size, but it was still active while they had their small… talk.

Kisame grunted in annoyance, lifting Samehada up and resting it on his shoulder, his body slightly pushing into the water for a brief moment.

"Your message has been delivered," he stated gruffly.

Gin's grin widened. "How do I know that for sure?"

"How do we know you mean what you say? That you are speaking the truth?" Kisame countered.

Ichimaru hummed for a moment, eyeing his blade. "Let this answer it for you then."

He swung.

Blood spouted, turning the water red as half of Kisame's body slid into it, his weapon falling through the depths. Grinning, Gin steadied himself as the force holding the water in place disappeared, and sent the liquid out everywhere, stretched to its end.

Again on the muddy ground, Gin strolled to the cleaved corpse as blood continued to pool and soak into the earth. His smile was gone as he squatted and poked the bottom half of the body with Shinsō.

"So you weren't the real Kisame." He sighed, frowning at the stranger that he had not fought minutes ago, one that had returned to its original state after death. But quickly his trade-mark smirk returned. "I'm not disappointed then. Good work."

His sandals squelched in the mud as he turned and walked away, well aware of the eyes resting on his back from afar and knowing, too, that his message was given to the right person completely. Now he just had to wait.

Aizen was going to be pleased for sure.

* * *

The terrain was unmarred and still as soon as Sakura and Tenten hit the river where the trail led, but they could see the cliff side crumbling as hard impacts within the cave forced it to shudder. A particularly large tremble broke the rock at the bottom entrance of the cave, and it collapsed into the water as the liquid started to pour around it in to what the two assumed to be a dip inside.

They had barely put their feet on the surface of the river, before a loud crack broke the atmosphere. Their hearts jumped as they felt the water quiver beneath them, and as they watched with wide eyes while the cave started to collapse inwards.

"No," Sakura whispered.

A heavy crunch shook everything beneath them as the cave in hit, and a massive cloud of dust smothered the atmosphere, blocking the sun. Their insides shook as they felt the vibrations of the fall begin to fade away, but it still left their legs feeling like jelly.

As soon as they could see well enough, the two shinigami ran to inspect, hearts hammering when they saw a rocky, sunken in pit, with minute traces of blood smeared everywhere. They hoped, hard, that the blood belonged to none of their old friends.

Tenten took a step onto a rock, calling, "Let's search!" over her shoulder frantically. Neither of them had any idea who to look for, who might've been beneath the cave before it crashed, but it didn't stop them from starting to clear away the debris.

They searched for a few minutes before the sound of a rock turning made them both straighten and stare in the direction they heard it from. Their blood ran faster, adrenaline pumping throughout them.

Rocks suddenly burst like a fountain from nearby, and they had barely enough time to take out their Zanpaku-to's before an ominous chattering sound filled the air and a large body collided with Tenten ( she yelped), shoving her against Sakura as they were being pushed across the rocky ground, heading for the jagged walls behind them. Electricity sparkled brightly, and a large boom shocked the two girls as they went flying in different directions, wood chips raining down around them. Sakura was quick to recover, and she scrambled to her feet, ignoring the searing licks the electricity left on her skin or the smell of her burnt robes, to see where Tenten had landed.

Dread filled her when she saw Tenten's Zanpaku-to lying on the ground, crackling still after the energy it had released, and the brunette, herself, unconscious next to it with blood spreading from her head.

"So… it's just you…" a voice drawled, and a chill crawled up her spine as she saw something move further behind Tenten. It rose to a stand, and Sakura found herself staring at a young, red-haired 'man' – and she used 'man' loosely, because he was anything but.

Coldness squeezed her insides at the sight of his body, his would-be curves instead angular, with a coil of iron – or _something_ – visible where his stomach should be. There was a square hole in his chest, were tendrils of torn, noticeable threads could be seen hanging. Sakura didn't have to be a scientist to know that this guy loved his puppets way too much to become one, and it sickened her – but not as much as it scared her.

"You don't look very impressive," he muttered, taking a step towards her, purple liquid dripping from his 'stomach'. He tilted his head at her, and Sakura jumped back a step, gripping her Zanpaku-to tighter, praying for comfort from Meikyou. "Neither were your… 'friends'… if you could call them that. They're dead now."

"I don't believe you," Sakura snapped.

He shrugged. She found it hard to believe that a monster like him had such an almost innocent face. "Then don't. It's not going to change the fact that you're next."

He was taunting, she knew that. She knew that he was weak, judging by how many holes he had in his body, and the near tired but alive look in his eyes. One of his arms was missing also, revealing the broken stub of a blade he must have procured earlier. Blood freckled his wooden skin, which confirmed her thoughts that the red smeared over the rocks had to have been from someone she knew.

Suddenly he moved, zooming in on her at an alarming speed. She stood still on the rock. His eyes narrowed in confusion as he came closer, until she felt that familiar warm shudder through her body. His eyes widened in surprise when Sakura burst into sand.

His reflexes quick, he dropped to the ground and shot to the side, avoiding a counterattack from behind. Sakura cursed when she missed, and yelped loudly when threads wound their way tightly around her leg, bursting the skin and spilling blood.

Furious, she cut it with her blade and dragged the tip of it along the rock, creating sparks. Swinging Meikyou up, glass pillars sky-rocketed from the rock and surged towards the dodging red-head like an ice wave. A sudden shadow loomed over and she gazed above before slashing the air. The exotic looking puppet, with long brown hair in ponytails and a furry collar, stopped in its attack to fire needles at her as it crashed like a bird against something invisible, and somehow disappeared into the thin air.

"What the hell are you?" a voice hissed from behind, and an aggravated Akatsuki member appeared from the flood of glass, his wooden face adorning a few more reasonable holes in his cheeks. His brown eyes stared at the now vacant sky, where his puppet had been.

"What are _you_?" she growled back.

"You have no respect for what makes art," he answered, his brow furrowed. "How could a girl like you take down the Third Kazekage, one of my most prized puppets, with one swing?" His tone dropped to strong hostility by the end of his sentence, but he couldn't hide his curiosity.

Sakura blanched. _Third Kazekage? As a genin I had heard that he went missing, and that he was one of the strongest. He was captured by this guy?_

"Puppets break," she stated like she was talking to a crying child who had just broken their favourite toy.

He didn't seem happy with her answer at all, as he whispered, "they are eternal. Art is everlasting."

Sakura huffed. "Art is eternal, huh?" she asked rhetorically, taking a few confident steps towards the puppet master. "Then let me give you something to remember me by!"

He smirked for a fraction of a second before blade wings sprouted from his back, flinging a purple liquid – poison – over the field. The head of the coil at the stomach started to unwind to loosen, and Sakura felt herself pale at the sight of so much poison leaking from his body and soaking the white band of his pants.

The blade wings started spinning, allowing him elevation and giving him an almost dark angel look to him as he glared down at her. But then he darted down at her from above, poison propelling out, and making it practically impossible for her to find a way passed his defences to deliver an attack, even if she was using her technique to attack from behind.

He had caught on to that quickly, and was almost always ready to defend from any direction after she had burst into sand. So she had stopped doing it, hoping to spring it on him again when he was unprepared. All she could do, for the moment was use flash-step (something that had momentarily disorientated him), and wonder why he wasn't using any puppets – he was one, so shouldn't he have more?

Unless the others took them out and they were buried beneath the rubble. For that she was thankful she wasn't facing him at his full strength. It was her job to just end his life, and if she couldn't, at least leave a mark that would haunt him.

Sakura widened her eyes as he closed in, suddenly extending the coil from his stomach and whipping it at her. She landed, shuffling back as quickly as she could before the head of it buried itself into the soil in front of her. The force of its landing trembled the earth beneath her feet and shook her balance, pushing her to the ground onto her back. His shadow loomed, his brown eyes wide, hysterical, and she found herself staring directly at his palm inches above her face before a thin tube made itself known.

Intuition kicked in and milliseconds before flames shot from the tube, Sakura hugged her Zanpaku-to close.

Her vision went red as she was forced to stare directly at an onslaught of heat and flames held back only by Meikyou's ability – an ability to absorb attacks through a shield. Sweat covered her face and she felt tears leak from her eyes as it grew hotter, and as the force of it started to crush her.

She was scared she was going to die; drown in the intense flames held back only by a thin barrier.

_Meikyou!_ she cried. _H-Help me! Please!_

_**You aren't out of options yet**_, was the response. Sakura felt her heart skip several beats.

But this anger sparked the idea.

Growling, she kicked his leg, ignoring the overwhelming searing pain that enveloped her foot as it left the protection of her barrier. The flames vanished as he tripped, falling onto her, but he never had the chance to stop himself before Sakura's fist connected with his chest. Energy swirled from the impact (a sharp pain in her body easy to ignore) and she saw his eyes bulge for a split second before he was sent flying back, his blade wings ripping against the stone.

She flexed her fingers for a moment before the rosette weakly stood up, massively wincing when she put weight onto her burned foot. However, pride flourished in her.

That punch. Inspired by the memory of Hokage who she had seen fight once or twice before she left for Soul Society; a sudden memory of a time in her life where she looked up to the woman, and had proceeded to try and use reiryoku for the exact same thing during those six months with her Captain.

She had pulled if off.

Her first ninja-based technique.

She fell to her knees suddenly, wondering why she was in so much pain.

An amused chuckled flooded her ears. "It hurts, doesn't it? The poison," the Akatsuki member stated.

Sakura widened her eyes. _When did—?_ She flashbacked to when he was falling onto her, and the momentary sharp pain she felt before he was sent flying. Looking at her shoulder, she saw a needle sticking out from the skin.

Her vision going blurry, Sakura peered up through wet lashes to see him stand once again. There was a pin-prick hole in his chest, with a crude pattern that her spiritual energy had created. She knew that if he turned around that most of his back would be gone.

Sakura moaned a vague response.

_**You've done great so far, girl,**_ Meikyou cheered. _**Yes, you are poisoned, but you can hold it off long enough to kill him!**_

Momentarily spurred by the encouragement, she rose again, straightening her back and cupping the end of her Zanpaku-to, putting the pain swirling about in her body out of her mind. With a surge of strength, she gripped her blade properly and took a strong step towards the frowning red-head.

He didn't seem bothered by her advance, like he was expecting her to collapse long before she reached him.

"Your words before… you said you'd leave something to remember you by…" his brown eyes dropped from her staggering form to stare at the pattern on his chest. "One thing you forgot. I'm a puppet. I can easily repair myself. I am art, after all. I am everlasting."

Sakura coughed hoarsely, stumbling for a moment. "Who appreciates touched up art?"

He stiffened.

The silence was so deafening that neither of them heard the sounds of someone approaching.

"Sasori!" a voice yelled, and both weary fighters looked up to see the second Akatsuki member swooping down on his bird to latch on to his partner.

Sakura panicked. With her remaining strength she leapt from the rock and swung Meikyou, watching as the air at the tip rippled and formed jagged blades of glass that shot towards the red-head. At the same time, the blond Akatsuki member gripped Sasori and yanked him from the ground just as the glass hit.

"Dammit," she cursed to herself as she watched them fly away as fast as they could.

She swore, though, that he looked back, and for a moment, green eyes met brown. But then gravity pushed down on her and her legs gave out completely.

"Shit, he got away!" she heard Naruto cursed, and as she used her hand to keep her body up, she peeked at him through her fringe to see orange energy coating him.

The effects of the poison was tingling on the tips of her fingers, and threading further throughout her body. It was harder to breathe, it was harder to keep her eyes open, it was harder to ignore the growing pain spazzing everywhere within her.

Her vision spiralled, and the last thing she saw was the ground coming closer.

"Sakura!"

* * *

"Well," a voice mused, chuckling. "That brute certainly did a number on you."

Sasuke, by the flickering candlelight of the 'infirmary', tilted his head over his shoulder to send a scathing glare at the silver-haired scientist shuffling through his documents at his desk. As if feeling the eyes burning into his back, Kabuto chuckled again and scribbled something onto some lined parchment.

"You've sustained a few serious wounds, including the one on your head."

The Uchiha directed his gaze before him again, at the torchlight on the wall. His fingers gripped the edge of the cot even tighter so that they turned white.

No need to remind him of the scar between his eyes, one which will leave him, for a few days, blind, thanks to the patch covering one of his eyes so that the entire mark could be hidden. He hated the feeling of it, as it was more than just a constant reminder that someone like Kiba Inuzuka had almost killed him – his body tensed and his anger spiked – but as it was also a slap in the face as a reminder that he was just human.

If Kiba got that close, then what chance did Sasuke, himself, have against Itachi? For some reason he felt further below his brother than he first thought mere hours ago.

But where could he turn to for power now?

He knew of Orochimaru's plans of him, to take control of his body, and the time for that was soon, but there was no way he was going to let it happen. He'd have to kill the Sannin to be free, but then he'd need more power to defeat Itachi.

Again… how?

It was like his own body was restricting him. His own _human_ body. Or was it time? Should he take a page out of Orochimaru's book and look into immortality to learn everything he could to grow stronger than his brother? Would that even help?

Orochimaru was defeated by Itachi, many years ago, yes, but he still was. How would Sasuke be different from Orochimaru after he gained immortality? Wouldn't he still be in the same position as before?

_No,_ he told himself. _I'd have the Sharingan. As well as all the jutsu I can learn. I'll be one up on Orochimaru. Always have been._

"What are you thinking?"

Sasuke snapped his red-eyed gaze to Kabuto in front of him, ignoring the medical tray in the scientists hands as he set it beside the Uchiha on the bed. Neither of them said anything, though both knew exactly what was going through each other's mind. Kabuto knew what Sasuke was thinking. To the dot.

The future looked bleak indeed for one of them – or for all.

* * *

The sky was quiet, save for the strong but gentle whooshing of the birds clay wings as they waved. Sasori sat stone solid on one side of the escort, glaring at the ground over the side, his red hair littered with glass and wood splinters, his body speckled with blood and sweat. Deidara glanced over his shoulder, taking his gaze away from the horizon to take an eyeful of his partner.

"She screwed you up bad, hmm," he commented lightly, eyebrows raised at the gaping hole in Sasori's back.

The other didn't respond.

"You can get fixed up as soon as we get to safety."

"Shut up, brat."

"Ooo, touchy, hmm." Deidara chuckled.

"Is that a new look your sporting, or did you lose two arms?" Sasori snapped back.

The blonde growled for a second before chuckling. "Well, didn't we get beaten up a bit?" He burst into laughter.

"I fail to see how this is so funny, brat," the elder hissed, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the pattern on his chest; it's swirls, at first defined around the pin-sized hole before becoming thinner as they extended, were annoying him.

Deidara hmm'ed. "What the heck were those guys, hmm?" he asked instead, changing the subject.

"I don't know."

"They were strong, but in a weird way. Their energy is very different, like what Kisame said, hmm."

Sasori stayed silent. The sky was growing darker.

"And Leader is considering that guy's proposal…" Deidara chuckled mischievously. "This should be fun."

The puppet scowled, half tempted to kick off his partner's limp arm sitting next to him, but Sasori wasn't a childish person like that – no matter how tempting it was. And he didn't care too much about the deal that that Gin guy had set up for them. It was interesting yes, but at the moment he was much too frustrated to focus on that.

He straightened.

On second thought, it was an opportunity.

This deal involved working with people who were just like that wench he fought back before he retreated with Deidara.

Yes. It annoyed him that he was feeling such things, but he couldn't help it. Her words just rubbed him the wrong way.

'_Who appreciates touched up art?'_

Ripping his hand from his patterned chest, Sasori growled silently to himself and stared in the direction of Konoha.

Fine. Call him childish, but he wanted to prove something to that annoying wench – the thought peeved him more than he thought. She gave him something to remember her by; she had done that well. Now it was his turn.

The next time they'd meet, he'd give her something to remember _him_ by. And maybe,_ maybe_, after this game was done and he was satisfied, he'd kill her.

Just kill her.

She wasn't worth being in his collection.

* * *

The day was ending, the world painted a golden blend of orange, yellow and red. The villagers of Suna were gathered at the entrance of their village, filling the rows on the walls and bunching up like a drop of ink on paper on the ground near the entrance.

They waited in anticipation for the return of their Kazekage, the man who had defended their village until his capture and possible death. They were indebted to him, just like he was to them.

Ino and the three Captains stood on the ground, amongst the villagers and shinobi of Suna. The blonde was wringing her hands together anxiously, pushing herself up onto her tippy-toes to see over the heads. She was half tempted to burst out into the middle of the desert to meet them half way, but Captain Kuchiki's stern presence – and Captain Hitsugaya's – was scaring the crap out of her and keeping her rooted.

She wished she could have done more to assist with the mission, but Captain Unohana insisted that she had done more than enough, and with the antidote that Temari and Kankuro had taken after they left to help, she was sure that she would have saved a few lives through it. But whose? And whose did she have to? Did she make enough of it?

The uncomfortable squirming in her gut told her no, but she refused to believe it.

"They're coming!" a Watcher shinobi shouted, instantly creating a stir amongst everyone around her.

Her heart pulsed.

True to his word, on the horizon, before the dying sun, was a line of black. No one made a sound as the smudge of black become clearer and closer, to the point that some people were distinguishable.

"Where is he?" Ino heard a young woman next to her ask her friend, her hands hovering worriedly over her tanned face.

"He must be in the middle," her friend responded.

_Are they talking about Gaara?_ Ino asked herself.

They had to have been. Staying in Suna for near to a day was more than enough time for the blonde to realise just how much the red-head had been appreciated by the villagers of Suna now that he had become the Kazekage. He was revered and idolised, almost. Strange considering his history, but Ino found it heart-warming.

At one point, when she had done all that she could do, she had helped out in the hospital, and was completely surprised when a young boy had grinned and looked up at her, exclaiming that she and the Kazekage would be a good couple. Ino was horrified, as she still couldn't shake her past thoughts of the man, but the boys reasoning was sincere.

She was kind and motherly. And he said that the Kazekage seemed like he needed someone like that, someone who could comfort him and usher him to cry – just like this boys' mother did when he was trying to be strong.

It was cute. But she was still a little disturbed.

"Where is he?" someone screamed, and they were backed by similar shouts of fear.

Ino peered through the bodies, but was jostled when Captain Unohana had hurried from her side and pushed passed the people. Surprised, the blonde watched as the woman joined the arriving consort, and then widened her eyes again when Captain Kuchiki was suddenly by her side, too.

"He's—He's not there!" a villager cried.

Another burst into tears.

Ino fell frozen as she watched the lips of both Captains and the front group of shinobi and shinigami move. And then Kankuro stepped forward, his head down. The words he spoke shocked everyone to silence.

"Along with the death of Lady Chiyo," he said loudly, tears streaming down his face, "…was also our Lord Kazekage's!"

As soon as the silence passed, it was like a storm had taken the entirety of Suna as every single villager and shinobi present cried, shouting profanities and clinging to anyone by them. Everywhere Ino looked she saw red faces and tears, a mess of limbs as bodies weakly hugged anyone they could.

It was like a wave as the news was hollered to the back of the crowd, to the innermost parts of the village, and then it was like hysteria. It was so loud and so heart-wrenching that Ino forgot, for that moment, that some of her friends may have been injured or killed too.

She didn't know Gaara at all, but that didn't mean she couldn't cry for him either.

Tears started to fall as she stood like a statue, watching the thousands of people around her do the exact same thing. A random villager hugged her, a young woman, and Ino gripped her too.

A tight clasp on her shoulder made her turn around, and she was met with Captain Hitsugaya's stoic face. "We should meet the others," he told her, and practically forced her out of the embrace with the Suna woman.

Ino let herself be taken through the flowing crowds of heartbroken people, but she wasn't sure if she could take any more bad news after seeing everything else.

The consort had melded with the swarm of Suna villagers, but a path was somehow quickly made as Kankuro and Temari came through with other officials and shinobi who were carrying the clothed beds of Chiyo and Gaara. It wasn't silent as they passed by, and by closer inspection, Ino thought she saw Temari, the strong blonde, tear herself.

Ino tore her gaze from the procession to see the shinigami and Konoha shinobi group still at the back. She could see the two Hyuuga, all the Captains, Shikamaru, Naruto, Gai and Lee all standing - Kakashi was on Gai's back. But then she spied several beds, catching sight of a severely wounded and unconscious Chouji, Shino, Tenten and - she froze, eyes wide. For a moment she thought she had mistaken it, but she was certain she hadn't after she blinked.

Never had she seen Captain Kuchiki with his guard down like that, holding Sakura's limp hand and moving hair from her sweating but sleeping face. Never.

* * *

_*cries* Don't kill me, please! For whatever reason in this chapter, please don't kill me! And we'll find out what happened to the others next chapter. There was no place to put it in here without spoiling it. _

_Regarding Sakura, originally she was NOT going to fight against Sasori but since so many people wanted that to happen still, I thought I'd add it in, and somehow, I could not have her kill him, so I just made things so much more complicated for myself. Now there's Sasori/Sakura tension, because he wants revenge! O_O Does that annoy anybody? No? Good. Yes? Tough. I think I have a soft spot for the red-head._

_Thank you for the support people! :D Constructive criticism is appreciated, but please give me details so I can improve on it. Thank you!_

_Side-thought: I think I found a song that matches this story, and possibly the following two. It's called "Someday" by U-kiss. Look up the eng translation. :)_


	24. Between Roads

_Hello! XD_

_**IMPORTANT:** I changed things about. The end of this chapter, technically, was meant to occur mid ROT2 but considering how things were going, it made more sense here. The original backbone I had for the stories is broken, at least til I can reorganise it, and so therefore, the **next chapter may be the last one for ROT1**._

_I'll be posting the final chapter when I've finished the first chapter of ROT2, so I can post them close together._

_Hopefully you can enjoy still?_

* * *

—**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR—**  
_Between Roads_

* * *

Heat.

She turned, moaning.

Flames… _burning_.

She panted, whining into her wheat-scented pillow, clutching it tightly. Sweat coated her bare shoulders, her clothes sticking to her like a second skin.

The nightmare consumed her…

She struggled beneath her barrier, green eyes frantically looking about in her prison to find a way out but there was none. His brown eyes peered down at her like the Reaper, glowing, somehow, amongst the eating, burning fire that smothered her.

She opened her mouth and screamed – and screamed, and_ screamed_ before she burst into more tears.

She couldn't take the heat, the pain of being pushed down on. It was suffocating her.

It got so intense that she couldn't do anything else but thrash about, screaming for someone to help her – _anyone_. She cried for Meikyou but she got no answer, no matter how much she hollered.

"Someone?" she croaked, her voice raspy from the smoke. Cracks started to split the shield protecting her and she cried again, tossing and turning, her long hair breaking from its braid and shrivelling under the intense heat.

"No one's coming," his voice taunted, and his brown eyes flashed in her mind.

"No!" she shrilled. "Stay away!"

He chuckled, at first soft before louder until it echoed.

And then her shield broke and the fire consumed her, burning her, melting her, and all she could do was scream.

Sakura jolted awake, hands pawing at her body, green eyes frantically looking to see if there were any burn marks on her. She gripped her sheets, panting quickly, softly, as she took in her surroundings.

A vacant room. Sand-coloured walls. IV drip. Hospital. The window. It was dark outside.

Her heart continued to hammer loudly in her chest as she told herself over and over that it was a nightmare. She told herself to stay strong, but it was hard.

She pulled herself into the foetal position, hugging her knees tightly as she stared at the vague outline of her toes beneath the sheets. Her body shivered, her mind bringing back the emotions she had felt in that nightmare – the pain, the fear.

And the daunting notion that that man – _monster_ – in her nightmare was still _alive_.

She cried.

She didn't know how long she cried but eventually she laid back in her bed, sniffling to herself and only then realising that her body actually did ache. She prodded carefully and felt several bandages, plus a thicker one wrapped around her entire right foot. Just knowing it was there made the sting of the burn even stronger, and she knew she'd have trouble getting back to sleep that night.

Her mind wandered.

What happened after she fainted from the exhaustion? She remembered Naruto had arrived, and the voice that shouted her name before she saw black sounded like Neji… so what happened? Was Tenten okay? She had been bleeding after all.

What about the others hidden underneath the rubble… maybe they had found safety somehow and survived…

_Argh, I can't take this!_ she shouted at herself, releasing a tired groan.

She must have been more tired than she thought. She fell asleep again minutes later.

The blinding sun shining in her eyes woke her up at the crack of dawn hours later, and she groaned in annoyance as she blinked furiously and propped her head up, trying to sleepily take a better look of her room. There was a large pot plant by the door, and another smaller one on her bedside table. She also quickly noticed another bed end by the door, against the wall, but a curtain blocked her view of who was there – she knew there was someone; she could see their feet.

"Good morning, Sakura," a cheerful voice greeted her, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Kakashi-sensei?" she stated, gaping as she sat up properly.

He chuckled, and she watched his shadow as he reached over and pulled the curtain across, revealing his masked face and lop-sided hair. He was smiling, and for some reason it made her feel better as she relaxed back into bed.

"Hello," he said again.

She smiled somewhat awkwardly as she nodded in greeting.

"Had a bad dream?" he asked.

Sakura froze.

"I could hear you begging," he answered calmly. His dark eyes watched her closely.

The rosette decided it was best just to nod.

"Had them for long?"

"No," she replied. "Just then." She inspected her fingers, suddenly nervous. "It shouldn't continue."

"Oh, I dunno. It sounded pretty serious."

She ran a hand through her fringe. "Taking things seriously now, Kakashi-sensei?" she joked.

He looked playfully affronted. "When had I not?"

"When you gave us those lame excuses for why you were late," she explained, fighting a smirk and failing. It spawned quickly as those memories flooded back.

Strange. All those months she had been wondering and worrying how she'd act when she'd meet her old life again, and so far it was better than she had expected. It felt good to smile and joke with her old teacher, but at the same time, she wondered if it was the right thing. What if he _had_ changed in those three years? What if he did show up on time? What if he wasn't his old sarcastic self anymore?

It scared her. Even if she wasn't there for so many years, she didn't want those parts to disappear.

Her smile disappeared when he didn't respond. Instead he looked very tired and… upset.

"Kakashi-sensei…" she frowned, "…what's wrong?"

"A number of things…" he answered.

Sakura waited for him to answer but it didn't seem like he was going to. He did the same thing when they first had to introduce themselves at the beginning.

"Gaara is dead."

She flinched, staring at the older man on the opposite bed. "W-What?"

He looked away, and didn't answer her question, because at that moment, the door opened, and Naruto stepped in slowly. His cerulean eyes were looking towards the floor, but he glanced up when he closed the door and instantly met Sakura's face.

"Sakura? You're awake!" he shouted, bounding across the room and pulling the rosette into a tight hug. She felt her crack back and she squeaked an 'ow'. He pulled back and she was met with a face full of his bright smile. "You rock, Sakura!"

For that moment, Gaara's death had left her mind.

"I do?"

He nodded furiously. "I saw you fighting against that Sasori guy before he and the blond guy escaped." There was bitterness in his voice for a split second before it vanished. "And boy. Your determination was scary!"

She giggled nervously.

"I totally freaked when you collapsed, but Neji was there right away. I didn't even know he knew how to heal, because he checked you first before he saw Tenten and healed her head. She had a concussion but she's doing better."

Sakura sighed in relief.

"We found Chouji, Shino and—" His wide mouth closed and his blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he remembered who else was there. Sakura frowned, panicking shoot up within her at his sudden stop.

"Who?" she asked desperately.

Naruto shook his head. "N-No one you know," he answered.

"Was it Gaara?" she whispered.

His tanned face twisted viciously into anger before dropping to sadness. She felt a surge of power overwhelm at the same time, and for that moment her breath was taken.

"Sakura," he said seriously, staring at her dead-on. She found it harder to meet his gaze. "Would Gaara be in your place? Soul Society?"

Kakashi directed his attention to them now.

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

Naruto gripped her shoulders, and she winced in pain – his thumb was digging into where Sasori's needles had been buried.

"Please tell me. I need to know," he said.

"I don't know, Naruto! He'd have to have a shinigami send him there, so ask the others that were at the scene."

"I did, Sakura, but they didn't tell me!" Naruto cried. "I even asked that Uchiha-look-alike but he just gave me a freaky glare and walked off, and I didn't even want to go near that pint-sized midget – I'd punch his daylights out if I was any closer to him," he muttered, the last part to himself.

"Then Neji?" she suggested. "Why does it matter?"

"Why does it matter?" he repeated louder, frowning. "Then it means that Gaara can return to his village and rule still, even if he is one of you guys!"

"It's not as easy as that," Sakura mumbled.

"Well, why not?"

"Because shinigami don't belong here," she explained.

A pause, and Naruto's frown melted away as he looked at her with a hurt expression. Tugging on a short strand of her fringe and tucking the longer parts of it behind her ear, he sighed.

"_You're_ a shinigami, Sakura," he whispered.

The rosette jolted, eyes wide as she stared at him directly. It hadn't clicked. What the 'it' was, she didn't know, but clearly she didn't think about what she was saying before she said it.

She swallowed. "I-I don't know why I said that," she said.

"Consciously, at least," Kakashi cut in. "But sub-consciously, that's what you believe."

Sakura started to shake her head. "No. That can't be true."

Naruto dropped a hand on her head and ruffled her pink locks before he pulled out her broken braid. He played with it for a moment, commenting on the fact that she grew it long again, but his attempt at getting rid of the awkward atmosphere failed entirely, and the room was left with an uncomfortable silence.

"I missed you," Naruto said.

"I missed you, too," Sakura responded.

But as she was pulled into another hug, she wondered if that was the truth. Hadn't she, just months ago, even years ago, told herself that Soul Society gave her life meaning? Made her feel like she was worth something? Hadn't just months ago she remembered she was supposed to return to Konoha to stay?

When had life gotten so complicated?

* * *

The mood in the room had picked up when someone, they couldn't remember who, had brought up the old days of when they were Team 7. Despite their past conversation, they still managed to laugh through their memories, and even traded stories from their respective homes. However, several hours later, Captain Kuchiki entered the room.

Naruto shuddered at his presence and glared at him, but the man ignored him – though did glance at Kakashi in the corner – before approaching Sakura's bed.

"Awake, I see," he stated.

Sakura sighed, a giggle mixing in. "Yes, Captain."

"Yeah, and I was taking good care of her!" Naruto cried, pumping his chest.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two of them before staring pointedly at his student. "You don't look very well."

Naruto growled and was about to say something more before Sakura burst out with, "was that a joke?"

The noble shinigami stared for a few more seconds before saying, "No."

"You said a joke!" she insisted.

He crossed his arms, frowning.

"You totally did! I heard you! You joked!" Sakura excitedly grabbed the black collar of Naruto's undershirt and pulled him in close, her face lit like the sun. "Do you know what this means? My Captain joked! Hell is freezing over!"

"We can only hope…" Kuchiki muttered.

Sakura's jaw dropped, and so did Naruto's who finally seemed to understand why she was so shocked, despite not knowing the man. However, since he seemed kind of… softer than when he had last met him, the blond shook his head and eyed the man firmly.

"Is Gaara—"

"Yes," Captain Kuchiki cut in, closing his eyes. Clearly the boy wasn't going to stop bothering the shinigami until he got the answer he wanted. "Lady Chiyo and the Kazekage have been sent to Soul Society."

Naruto's face morphed from serious to overjoyed in a matter of seconds, and abruptly he hugged the stoic man around the waist, shouting thanks – Sakura almost died – repeatedly before peeling back and dancing about the room, Kakashi trying to calm him down without getting up. Sakura and Byakuya looked at each other, the latter a little miffed – confused? – about what had just happened.

He let someone hug him? Someone he didn't know? That didn't sound like him at all. Mind you, Naruto had detached himself too fast for Byakuya to throw him off himself.

Through Naruto's din, the noble ran his dark eyes over Sakura's white face as she watched her old teammate. He noted the faint scar on her forehead and the bandages wrapped around her left arm. He knew that the extent of her injuries weren't as bad as they looked but seeing her awake was still good to see.

He… had been a little worried.

He hadn't visited her since the mission had been completed, partly because of this exact reason; he was worried. And he _showed_ it. Ino had witnessed it.

He never showed worry. Feeling it was different, but expressing it was something complete new. And he wondered why, and how.

Naruto stopped all of a sudden and turned to Byakuya, the happiness on his face now completely gone and taken by fear. "Ice-man… will Sakura return here soon? Is her training almost done? When will she come back to Konoha?"

Said rosette visibly shrunk in her bed, shadows somehow accumulating around her to mirror her sunken mood at those words. Kakashi looked away, appearing as though he wished Naruto hadn't asked that question so bluntly. It was a sharp question, and no matter the skin, it would always be tender. Who knows what sort of answer Naruto would get from it?

Byakuya's eyes flickered to her former sensei sitting in his cot, adjusting his navy mask casually, before looking back to her former desperate teammate.

"Why do you want her back?" he asked pointedly.

Naruto's forehead wrinkled into a frown of confusion. "What do you mean? Because I miss her! And she was promised back! All of them were!"

"In due time," he answered cryptically.

Naruto wasn't satisfied. "That's not an answer. How hard can it be to train as a shinigami? Don't you just have to learn how to handle your katana?"

"Don't ninja just have to aim and throw, and learn a sequence of handsigns?" Byakuya countered.

"No, there's more to it than just that!"

"Exactly. There are layers to the shinigami art, just as there is to ninja."

Naruto faltered. "But those hollows – whatever they're called… I've seen you guys take them out with one swing. Well, hasn't Sakura and the others surpassed that point? Didn't they go to learn that?"

"And you expect their power to just… cut off?" he asked.

The blond heaved. "Why do you make it sound like they're never coming back?" he shouted. "If you're saying that there's more to just slaying hollows, then they'll never come back because they'll just keep learning the next stage – and the one after, and the one after that!"

He paused, face twisted into fury.

"You don't want to give them back, do you?"

"It's not my decision," Byakuya cut in sharply. He frowned, realising where this conversation was going, and on how thin an ice he was treading.

"Then whose is it?"

"It's theirs."

Sakura snapped her head up, eyes wide, and Kakashi slowly showed his interest to the conversation by turning his head back. Naruto huffed angrily, his hands clenched into fists.

"What do you mean?" he pushed.

"Captain—"

"They had the choice to leave at any point they felt they were strong enough."

Silence hit the room like a bulldozer, and Sakura cringed at those words. She shook her head, her breathing hastening as she looked away and lightly held her skull in shaking hands.

"What?" Naruto breathed. "You mean they could have come back at any time?"

"Yes."

He paused. "Don't lie to me!" he snapped, the whiskers on his cheeks thickening. "I bet you bastards never told them that they could!"

"That choice was entirely up to them," the noble answered. His face was like a mask, but if you looked closely – as closely as Kakashi was looking – you'd see it beginning to crack somewhere. "It was assumed that if they chose to leave Konoha of their own free will, they could also choose to come back at any point in time. No amount of years was given for them to return, was there?"

"Stop!" Sakura shrieked, slamming her hands down and ignoring – but wincing slightly – at the jolt of pain staggering up her arm. She glared at her Captain, who stared monotonously back, his jaw tensed and his Adam's apple bulging as he swallowed. She hissed. "You. Encouraged. Me. To stay. You all told us that we had to stay!"

"When was that said?" his voice was strained.

"With all the responsibilities you put on us!" she yelled at him. "You gave us missions, you gave us classes, you practically filled our every time with something to do, so that—" Her eyes widened; she stared. Seconds passed as her face drifted into extreme bitterness, her lips pursed. "Soul Society had no intention of letting us leave, did they?"

A glimmer of confusion graced Byakuya's face as he faced Sakura a little more. "That is not our intention, Sakura."

"Ours? Or yours?" she asked again, pointedly.

He looked at her intently, before admitting, "Mine."

"You are not Soul Society. It seems you're as much a pawn in whatever game Head-Captain Yamamoto is up to, as the rest of us!"

"Stop there, Sakura," the noble slammed in, brow furrowing so deeply that Sakura flashbacked to the last time she had seen him that mad. "There is no game. _This_ is not a game; this is real."

"Then someone is playing us all for fools," she hissed.

"Must there be someone pulling the strings?" he queried tersely.

"Yes."

"You're bringing this back to Aizen, aren't you? Didn't I teach you better than that?"

"Your teachings were fine!" Sakura yelled, before pointing her better hand in the direction of Kakashi sitting quietly in the corner. "_His_ teachings told me to follow my gut!"

Byakuya's slim eyes lifted instantly to glower at Kakashi, who seemed a little surprised by Sakura's sudden confession. Her abrupt loud and massive sigh caught their attention again.

"Seems like I still have some ninja blood in me," she muttered.

"Is that another way of saying you want to return to Konoha?" the noble asked.

"No," she gritted out. "I will go back when I'm ready."

"But, Sa—"

"Naruto," Kakashi cut him off, shaking his head minutely when the blond looked at him aghast.

"I don't feel complete, yet," the rosette admitted out loud. She then shuffled further into her bed and looked to the ceiling, putting the presence of both Naruto and Byakuya from her mind as she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Her nightmare with Sasori didn't cross her mind at all, but rather she felt torn.

Very torn.

No wonder she felt incomplete.

It felt like now, no place would be home, would be safe enough for her to live in. She had come on this mission partly to set a foundation for her future, but now the puzzle had been messed up again when she thought she had nearly finished it.

Soul Society now set her on edge. Something there was off, but it was the place she had called home for several years now. It was the place she had grown up in strength, and in mind. Konoha was her childhood. It held distant memories that she missed. But it, too, made her feel uncomfortable. After hearing so many bad whispers of the ninja council from the shinigami in Soul Society, she guessed it stuck like glue that they were bad news, but—

She supposed she had to see Konoha herself, live there for a month, maybe two, to get a better idea. After all, a lot can change in three years. She certainly had.

* * *

The next few days were a blur. Sakura was very upset with the disturbing idea that the place she had been calling home for the past three years appeared to have no intention of letting them go back. Or had no. She didn't tell anyone else about her thoughts, and she trusted the other three in the room to not spread the topic far either; after all, it may break the alliance completely.

Words weren't traded as often, Naruto seeing that Sakura was clearly troubled by it, but she appreciated his old efforts of getting her to smile – he had matured after all. Kakashi was back to full health, but there were a few other ninja who were not. Chouji was in critical condition still after saving Shino in the collapsing of the cave roof.

Ino had come in at one point, face tense, and in the middle of a dying conversation had blurted out how much she had missed Konoha the very moment Shikamaru hugged her as she held Chouji's hand. She cried then and there, face in Sakura's lap as the rosette stroked her long blonde hair. She had to bite her tongue to not voice her thoughts about Soul Society. It seemed she was not the only one feeling torn to shreds by two sides, but Ino just didn't know it.

Hinata and Shino had a quiet reunion; sort of. They had been talking like normal while he was bedridden, but the moment the Aburame had been able to walk, Hinata had thrown her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly. No one had to see him without glasses to know that he was surprised as he returned the hug loosely.

Team Gai had the loudest reunion ever, all of it coming from the Green Beasts of Konoha. While they, too, sported a few scratches and wounds, it was like they were 100% with the way they doted about Tenten, who was a little dizzy because of her concussion. Lee was practically glued to her whenever she tried to walk somewhere, and since she was in a bit of a daze, she didn't throw him off – though Neji silently confided to Sakura and a gaping Naruto (Neji was talking to them?) that she actually missed the attention a little, even if it was similar to Division 11.

Somewhere in those days was Gaara's funeral, held in the centre of the village square before his body was carried to the Kage tombs on the outer edge of Suna. Even though Naruto knew that the red-head had been sent to Soul Society, he seemed to understand that spreading hope was not the wisest idea.

By the time all loose ends had been tied up in Suna (Team Gai was to remain until Chouji was fully healed), Sakura realised she'd be spending even more time with the confusion of where she suited best. She opened up a little more on the way back to Naruto, who glanced at her mentor once or twice to see if it was safe enough, but eventually he returned the conversation. It wasn't as intense or exciting as before, but at least it was something.

The moment they arrived at Konoha's gates, however, things was a complete mess.

Initially the shini-nin were given permission to enter the village after the Suna mission had been completed, but the moment they arrived, the four Captains had instantly told them to head towards the portal. Frowning in confusion, Tenten asked why, but she was given no answer as they were hurried away.

Kakashi, Naruto and Shino were glancing back at them with questionable looks, the blond even stepping towards them as they were ushered away, though he was stopped by Captain Ichimaru.

Something was wrong.

Something was _very_ wrong.

And the moment they stepped into the portal was the moment they heard a gigantic explosion and they whipped around, just in time to see a chunk of the mountain crash into the village. The ground trembled angrily, and trees began to shiver and uproot themselves. The pile of dust and dirt was so high and huge that it swamped the vague sight of the red-painted gates of the village in the distance as it swallowed it.

"What?" Hinata whispered.

But the portal had closed on them, cutting them off from their old home. And to Sakura's annoyance, her Captain was one who stayed behind to deal with whatever had happened.

"Alright, kiddies. Let's get going," Ichimaru encouraged, pushing Neji into a walk.

None of the shini-nin, even with the stern looks from both Unohana and Hitsugaya (though the former looked sympathetic), felt like following. They couldn't. They just saw something explode within Konoha, but that wasn't the worst part. And it wasn't that Captain Kuchiki had stayed behind either.

It was the fact that they couldn't sense any hollows in the area _at all_.


End file.
